17:53 Well that is it from the 2009 Stan James Guineas Festival, where we have witnessed two days great racing.

It is a shame the drying conditions were such a factor on the second day. However it is difficult to criticise the course for not watering, as the forecast overnight rain failed to materialise. The Met Office may have multi-million pound super computers but they still get it wrong sometimes.

Have we seen any future Classic winners this weekend? Quite possibly but don’t ask me which ones.
Our next scheduled racing coverage will be from Huntingdon on Wednesday evening, where it is Irish night.

17:48 Something of a decimated contest for our finalé, with four of the nine runners defecting due to the ground.

Opinion Poll, who played up in the parade ring, duly drifted in the betting, leaving Dubai Crest at the head of the betting.

In the race itself Takaatuf set the pace with Guestofthenation and Opinion Poll tracking and the other pair following on behind.

That was pretty much the order as they progressed at a steady pace down the centre of the course.

Two out, as usually happens here, the race proper began, with Takaatuf being joined by Dubai Crest and Opinion Poll with the other pair trailing in their wake.

It looked as though Takaatuf was going to be done as here rivals launched their challenge but the Mark Johnston trained colt is nothing if not a battler.

He seemed to find more reserves of energy and got back in front to beat the favourite by 1¼ lengths. Opinion Poll, who expended too much of his energy in the parade ring, came home a further 3½ lengths back in third.   

17:25 More worry for favourite backers, Opinion Poll is very much on his toes in the parade ring.

17:16 The Pretty Polly Stakes over 1¼ miles was an open betting heat with Golden Stream and the misbehaving The Miniver Rose going off joint 11/4 favourites, however neither troubled the judge.

Golden Stream set the early pace but faded in the final two furlongs, eventually coming home sixth of the eight runners.

The Miniver Rose tracked the leader but plugged on one pace in the final stages just losing a tight battle for third place with Moneycantbuymelove.

However these two were five lengths behind the front two and comprehensively beaten.

Three Moons,  settled in third place in the early stage, ran on as they came out of the dip and soon had the lead. Take The Hint, who had been settled near the rear by Jimmy Fortune, tracked the move and the pair were soon clear of their rivals.

A furlong out it looked as though we were going to be treated to a battle to the line, but Take The Hint had more in hand, giving John Gosden some consolation for Rainbow View’s defeat in the big race earlier on.           

Bookies have added the winner to The Oaks betting with an opening offer of 25/1.

16:56 For those of you impressed with Barry Hills form this season Skybet have a "special" 25/1 that he will train The Derby winner. He has four runners in this years contest an dhe is looking for his first Derby victory.

16:51 The Pretty Polly Stakes is next and backers of The Minever Rose (including me) should be worried. She was really on her toes in the parade ring , refusing to walk into the wind. She then unshipped Richard Hughes on the horsewalk.

16:40 Some more reaction from the big race.

A word of caution from Barry Hills who fancy the winner in the Oaks, "I think she will be better over a mile and a quarter. How far she will stay I don't know.

"She is in the Oaks, but I don't know if she will run."

Rainbow View, the disappointing favourite is still heading for the Oaks, although the ground will be crutial. Trainer John Gosden said, "She hated the ground."

16:36 A very interesting 5f maiden stakes for our fifth contest, where the defection of Tom Folan left us with six debutants going to post.

Radiohead was sent off the 6/4 favourite but ran green. Slowly out of the stalls before getting into his stride and when asked for an effort to challenge the leader, High Spice, cocked his jaw and again showed signs of greenness.

Despite disappointing favourite backers on this occasion he will surely  come on for the run and will be worth looking at next time out.

The winner, High Spice, by contrast looked like an old timer. Set off in front by Eddie Ahern she set a good pace. When Radiohead came alongside with a challenge you half expected her to buckle. In fact she put her head down and was quite happy to make a fight of it, so much so she may even have held on had the favourite not been so green.

16:11 Some 1000 Guineas reaction.

Trainer of the runner up Cuis Ghaire was pleased with his fillies performance, "She will stick to a mile and will probably head for the Irish 1000 Guineas."

Skybet have cut the winner to 8/1 from 33/1 for the Oaks.

Trainer of the third, Briam Meehan, said Super Sleuth would have preferred more give in the ground and her next target could be the French Oaks.

16:08 A six furlong, 17 runner, handicap for our fourth contest.

When they departed the stalls for a brief moment I though a false start was going to be called – I have not seen such a ragged stalls departure for many a long day.

The main beneficiary was Wise Melody, who got an absolute flyer under William Buick. However the bid for glory was short lived as the fillies rivals soon caught her.

Mac Gille Eoin and Spanish Bounty were soon sharing the lead, tracked by Thebes and Wise Melody, with the remainder well bunched behind.

Coming out of the dip Greg Fairley sent Thebes to the front in what looked like a decisive run. However many had not spotted Dandy Nicholls Evens and Odd, settled well back for most of the race, being bought out by son Adrian.

Once he saw daylight he asked the gelding for an effort and he soon passed most of his rivals to take up the running inside the final furlong and coming home the most decisive 3¼ length winner. Once again showing the Nicholls yard should not be dismissed in the big sprints.

Thebes held on for second spot, with the running on favourite, Explanation, making late progress for third.

15:40 Aspen Darlin, who was pulled up in the big race, was taken away in the horse ambulance with what appeared to be a near hind leg injury.

15:38 Well it can safely be said the 2009 Stanjames.com 1000 Guineas threw up a shock result.

Rainbow View was set off the very well backed 8/11 favourite but her unbeaten record was shattered when she came home fifth, never looking to be a serious contender at any point in the contest.

Surprisingly it was two of the front runners who contested the finish.

Devotee was an early pace setter but was followed by Ghanaati and Cuis Ghaire and it was this latter pair who contested the finish as Devotee’s challenge fizzled  out – clearly having expended too much energy in the parade ring..

The pair, along with Penny’s Gift were clear of the remainder two out and approaching the furlong maker were clear of all their rivals.

Ghanaati looked the better filly and once in front it looked pretty certain she was home and hosed and indeed she was. The winner ridden by Richard Hills for father Barry.
Super Sleuth made eye catching late progress to take third place, one who will appreciate a step up in trip.

Aiden O’Briens challenger Heart Shaped was also running to come home fourth, with the disappointing Rainbow View fifth.

The win is Barry Hills second 1000 Guineas victory and Richard’s third.

15:01 Well Rainbow View is in the parade ring and is, so far, behaving herself.

14:46 Some comments from our opener Richard Hannon Jnr. was pleased with the runner-up Redesignation, "We will look at taking him to Royal Ascot.

"He could be an Ebor horse later in the season."

14:44 Well it was more  a case of job done than anything else.

Heaven Sent the 4/11 favourite duly obliged in the Dahlia Stakes, coming home the 1¼ length winner.

Casilda set the pace tracked by the hard pulling Barshiba and Moon Sister, with Ryan Moor happy to settle the favourite in rear.

14:28 We are having non-runners come through thick and fast. I will try and keep up with them.

14:27 Only four runners in the Dahlia Stakes and all four look good. However  Heaven Sent looks head and shoulders above the others – small wonder she is 4/9 favourite.

14:15 A fourteen runner mile and a half handicap to get us underway and we had a well backed favourite in Redesignation (7/1 into 9/2), also well backed was Hatton Flight, decent in his own right but I suspect also attracting money based on last nights big fight in Vegas.

It was one of those races where the early stages saw little change with Resplendent Light leading the field, tracked by Pevensey, Boz and Hatton Flight.

As it usual here the complexion of the race changes as they emerged from the dip and the race began in earnest.

Hatton Flight was the first to hit the front but Redesignation, on the far rail, also made late progress to try and gain victory. However the line came in time for Hatton Flight to win by a diminishing 1¼ lengths.

Boz held off a late run from Dansili Dancer to hold onto third spot.  

Dance The Star made some good progress three out, only to fade – perhaps better suited bt 10 furlongs?

13:48 I have little doubt the wind will be a factor here. The runners for the first are certainly reacting to it in the parade ring. I was told by a jockey the other week that the one type of weather they really do not like is the wind because it really can spook the horses.

Dance The Star looks the most relaxed in the parade ring, whilst Redesignation,Record Breaker, Distinctive Image and Baylini were most on their toes.

13:07 I think this is what the forecasters call variable weather. On moment it is dull and cloudy, the next bright and sunny. The only constant is the wind which is still blowing.

11:46 Good morning from Newmarket where the weather is somewhat different from yesterday. Much more cloud (and of the grey variety), much cooler and there is a very striff breeze, which will be behind the runners.

We have a runner, Again, out of the big one - due to the ground.

09:20 Some 1000 Guineas trivia.

The 1000 Guineas is the youngest of the five Classics, first run in 1814.

46 winners of the 1000 Guineas have gone on to win the Epsom Oaks, the latest being Kazzia in 2002.

Seven fillies have won the fillies triple crown 1000 Guineas – Oaks – St ledger, the last being Oh So Sharp in 1985.

Tagalie in 1912 is the only 1000 Guineas winner to go on and win the Epsom Derby.

08:43 A change to the going overnight, it is now Good to Firm, Firm in places. Another dry, sunny, day is forecast.

We already hav eone non-runner due to the going conditions and it will probably not be the last.

Our Sunday selections are as follows:-

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

2:00
2 Magicalmysterytour (going 11:10)
4 Inventor (going 08:41)

2:35
3 Changing Skies (going 12:44)

3:15
1 Again (going 10:11)

3:50
5 Damika (pulled shoe off - SC 09:42)
12 Biniou (going 14:13)
19 Steelcut (stiff - SC 08:50)
20 Carleton (going 14:16)

4:25
7 Tom Folan (going 14:18)

5:35
1 Midnight Cruiser (going 14:56)
2 Aurorian (going 16:37)
4 Mutamaashi (going 16:37)
9 Marching Time (going 14:47)

Results

2:00 Heritage Handicap 1m 1f

1st 8 Hatton Flight 6/1
2nd 5 Redesignation 9/2 fav
3rd 11 Boz 16/1
14 Ran Nr's 2 & 4
Distances 1 1/4 & 3/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £6.30
Places £2.40 £2.00 £3.20
Exacta £21.80
CSF £30.81
Tricast £420.61
Time 2' 32.47"

2:35 Fillies Stakes 1m 1f

1st 4 Heaven Sent 4/11 fav
2nd 2 Casilda 14/1
4 Ran Nr 3
Distances 1 1/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.30
Exacta £3.40
CSF £6.02
Time 1' 47.98"

3:15 Stan James 1000 Guineas 1m

1st 5 Ghanaati 20/1
2nd 2 Cuis Ghaire 12/1
3rd 15 Super Sleuth 33/1
14 Ran Nr 1
Distances 1 1/2 & 1 1/4
Fav 11 Rainbow View 8/11 (5th)
Tote
Win £26.00
Places £6.70 £4.20 £8.80
Exacta £227.20
CSF £224.43
Time 1' 34.22"

3:50 Heritage Handicap 6f

1st 13 Evens And Odds 7/1
2nd 11 Thebes 8/1
3rd 4 Exclamation 11/2 fav
4th 6 Orpsie Boy 6/1
17 Ran Nr's 5 , 12 , 19 & 20
Distances 3 1/4 & 1
Fav third
Tote
Win £7.50
Places £2.20 £2.40 £2.10 £2.00
Exacta £79.40
CSF £59.61
Tricast £356.16
Time 1' 09.90"

4:25 Maiden Stakes 5f

1st 5 High Spice 10/1
2nd 4 Radiohead 6/4 fav
6 Ran Nr 7
Distances 1 1/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £13.10
Places £3.60 £1.60
Exacta £24.40
CSF £26.09
Time 59.03"

5:00 Pretty Polly Stakes 1m 2f2f

1st 6 Take The Hint 15/2
2nd 8 Three Moons 16/1
3rd 3 Moneycantbuymelove 8/1
8 Ran
Distances 1 1/4 & 5
Favs No's 2 & 7 11/4 (6th & 4th)
Tote
Win £8.00
Places £2.30 £2.40 £2.10
Exacta £102.50
CSF £114.49
Time 2' 01.93"

5:35 Handicap 1m 2f

1st 7 Takaatuf 9/4
2nd 5 Dubai Crest 2/1 fav
5 Ran Nr's 1, 2 , 4 & 9
Distances 1 1/4
Fav second
Tote
Win £3.50
Places £1.80 £1.70
Exacta £6.40
CSF £7.24
Time 2' 03.42"