15.10 Newmarket: Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1)
A hot contest with classy juveniles - it's fair to say that it'll fast and furious! Some of the best two year old sprinters gonna meet in this contest on the highest possible level. Obvious favourite is Richard Hannon's precocious ultra speedy filly Tiggy Wiggy. Not many have foreseen that she would develop into the classy speed ball that she is now, when she appeared on the Kempton All-Weather on her debut. She won by seven lengths that day! Since then she has won another four races, including the prestigious Lowther Stakes, beating subsequent Group 1 winner Cursory Glance rather easily. It won't be an easy task today, though. She is on the go already for quite a while this year, and her only run on quick ground resulted in a defeat - even though a very narrow one, and over 5f. The rather testing Newmarket 6f may be something, not quite playing into her hands either. So if you want to find flaws in her form, then you can find them. But no doubt, she is an extremely exciting filly!
Queen Mary Staes conquer Anthem Alexander did bet Tiggy Wiggy that day at Royal Ascot. The Hannon filly put the record straight in the Lowther stakes subequently, then over 6f instead of the shorter trip, though. And it is the trip indeed which emerges as the main question for Anthem Alexander. She seems a top class sprinter, particularly over five furlongs. Could it be that the additional furlong is beyond her? We'll find out today. The French filly High Celebrity doesn't have to answer stamina questions. She won over 7f on debut, finished runner-up in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes when beaten as long odds-on favourite, even though things didn't really work her way that particular day and she is better judged on her recent success in a French Group 3 over five furlongs, when she drew clear in fine style in the closing stages. She looks open to much more improvement, she is still very lightly raced and the fact that Andre Fabre brings her over again is a big confidence boost, given the trainers excellent record here.
Arabian Queen, winner of Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes, wasn't quite suited by the step up to 7f subsequently, and will be better now down to six again. She is a very good filly in her own right, if she has quite the speed on quick ground against this top class opposition remains to be seen though. Lightly raced Oasis Dream filly Tendu was a runaway winner at Kempton earlier this month. It's quite a dramatic step up in class today, but she is open to improvement and we will be able to judge her much better after this race. David Simcock's Terror won a Warwick maiden by an impressive 10 lengths on debut. She doesn't have a flashy pedigree, but deserves her chance. Zuhoor Baynoona finished a decent third in Listed company last time out, following up on a good maiden success. She steps up to 6f for the first time, and that has to make a big difference, to see her competitive today.
Verdict: Tiggy Wiggy is the class act in this field, but drifting in the market, and there are reasons for it. Quick ground, stiff track, long season - she has to be at her absolute best today to win. And while she is such an exciting filly, it might be worth to take her on with the French filly High Celebrity. Andre Fabre doesn't bring runners over to Newmarket if he doesn't think they can and his record speaks for itself. The filly is lightly raced and open to plenty of improvement. She looks the value against the hot favourite. For backers of long-shots, it might be interesting to get some quid on Arabian Queen. She'll be better down in trip, has won a Group 2 already and is a huge price.
High Celebrity @ 9/2 Bet365 - 3pts win
Arabian Queen @ 40/1 Bet365 - 0.5pts win
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