Lush green turf, Classic pretenders and competitive fields as Newmarket's Craven meeting gets under way

The three-day Craven meeting heralds the start of the season at Newmarket, and Tuesday’s fixture will be the first under the supervision of new clerk of the course Andrew Morris. 

It is unlikely that in 23 years at the helm his predecessor Michael Prosser was ever faced with quite such lush growing conditions as Morris has encountered, not that the new man is complaining.

“It’s been an incredibly interesting few months, with the wettest winter on record and one of the wettest springs,” said Morris, whose previous posts include being clerk at Bangor and Chester, as well as a year as racing manager at Moonee Valley in Australia. “At one point there was a lane shut on the A14 because of flooding, which is unheard of.

“Although it’s been difficult in terms of getting machinery on the track, the condition of the sward and the general condition of the track is further forward than it might normally be. 

“That is due to the wet weather and the fact that temperatures have remained pretty mild, apart from the first ten days in January. The grass growth got going earlier in the spring than you might expect, so we’re really pleased with where we stand.”

Andrew Morris: will oversee his first day's racing at Newmarket on Tuesday

A dry and relatively warm end to last week had brought the GoingStick down to a mixture of good and good to firm ground, although Newmarket was buffeted by a series of sharp showers on Monday, amounting to 4mm of rain and is now officially good.

Morris said: “There might be a couple more showers coming through. We would have thought that if there’s not too much more rain we’ll be in the region of good ground come Tuesday. The forecast for the three days is unsettled and there could be showers, although they don’t look massively significant.”

Tuesday's card is headlined by a £40,000 mile handicap (2.55) and a 7f conditions race (3.30) for three-year-olds, while 11 fillies have been declared for Wednesday’s Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.35).

Charlie Appleby will take the wraps off Dance Sequence, who is no bigger than 6-1 for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas and makes her first start since making it two from two in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes last autumn. 

Dance Sequence (William Buick, right) beats Skellet (Ryan Moore) in the Oh So Sharp StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Aidan O'Brien gives a first start over seven furlongs to Matrika, a 20-1 shot for the 1,000 Guineas. She was second to Porta Fortuna in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh eight days later. 

Quite unusually, only four of the 11 runners hold an entry in the Guineas, with the Roger Varian-trained True Cyan a 50-1 chance for the Classic and Queen Of Zafeen a 100-1 shot for Richard Hughes. 

Born To Rock (Jane Chapple Hyam), Spiritual (John and Thady Gosden) and Kathmandu (Brian Meehan) are all engaged in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp on May 12. 

Andre Fabre has declared Narkez for the bet365 Feilden Stakes on Wednesday and could also be represented by Alcantor in the Craven Stakes on Thursday, where his main market rival is likely to be Godolphin’s Native Approach. 

Andre Fabre: sends Narkez over to Newmarket for the Feilden StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Racecourse gallops for several Classic contenders are also scheduled on the Rowley Mile before racing gets under way on the first two days.

On Tuesday, Hugo Palmer will give impressive Newcastle winner Kitteridge a feel of the turf, while Charlie Johnston will gallop Cheveley Park third Sacred Angel.

Charlie Appleby will be out early on Wednesday with Futurity winner Ancient Wisdom, while other pre-racing workers include the Karl Burke trio of Night Raider, Fallen Angel and Darnation, as well as Iberian for Charlie Hills and the Owen Burrows-trained Alyanaabi, who was last seen chasing home City Of Troy in the Dewhurst. 

Looking at the meeting as a whole, Morris said: “Hopefully it’s exactly what the Craven is meant to be. It’s a really exciting start to the Newmarket season with really competitive racing but interlaced with some Classic prospects and some fantastic young novices.” 

Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.35 Newmarket, Wednesday)

1 Born To Rock  Laura Pearson
2 Dance Sequence  William Buick
3 Gushing Gold  David Probert
4 Heritage House  Callum Shepherd
5 Kathmandu  Sean Levey
6 Lexington Belle Kieran O'Neill
7 Matrika Ryan Moore
8 Pretty Crystal Oisin Orr
9 Queen Of Zafeen Finley Marsh
10 Spiritual Kieran Shoemark
11 True Cyan James Doyle

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