'She's very progressive and couldn't be any better' - race in focus, horses to note and best quotes for the 1,000 Guineas card

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Race in focus: Betfred Dahlia Stakes (2.20)

Falakeyah announced herself on this card last year and the four-year-old bids to rediscover that form on her seasonal reappearance.

The New Bay filly, owned by Shadwell, won the Pretty Polly Stakes by three and a quarter lengths for Owen Burrows and marked herself down as an exciting prospect but struggled to build on the promise of that performance in her next two starts.

In the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, her inexperience showed when she raced too freely and was well beaten. Back at this course in the Pride Stakes in October, she again failed to settle, with Callum Rodriguez reporting that she hung right throughout before finishing midfield.

"She's her own character," said Angus Gold, racing manager to Shadwell. "She's never been the most straightforward, but if she settles and does everything right, I think she could run a big race. 

"She's had a long winter to recover from last season and relax, and if she runs like she did at this meeting last year, hopefully she'll take a bit of beating."

Falakeyah winning the Pretty Polly on this card last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

There are other contenders to consider, including market favourite Cathedral, who was last seen finishing third in a Listed contest on the all-weather and was campaigned internationally for Amo Racing last year. Five-year-old Survie, who will be partnered by Ryan Moore, is also worth noting.

What they say 

Ed Walker, trainer of American Gal
She showed very good form last year, winning a Listed race and going close in the Valiant Stakes. You can put a line through her comeback run from a bad draw at Kempton and we believe she's up to this level.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Chantilly Lace
The step up in trip should suit, and we know the track does.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Miss Justice 
We got her in December and she's great and lovely to train. She's working really well and I think she'll get further as well.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Sand Gazelle
She's thrived at home lately, so we're starting her off in a Group 2. It's a bold move but we've been pleased with her. The track and trip should suit, so hopefully she can get some more black type.

George Boughey, trainer of Survie
It was a bit of an experiment running her in the Snowdrop over a mile. We'd been trying to get her to relax to run over 12 furlongs in the Sheema Classic, but then she didn't travel and her trainer decided to run her over a mile a week later. She'd probably gone to sleep and stepped out of the stalls slowly, but she came home nicely. I think we'll see a very different horse here and she could go to the New York Stakes at Saratoga after that.
Sadie Iddenden

Key horses for punters

Sacred Ground (1.45)

The standard in the Pretty Polly is set by Esna, whose juvenile form comprises a defeat of last month’s Feilden Stakes winner Morshdi and a Group 1 fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac behind Diamond Necklace.

A Starman half-sister to five winners, the best of them being Alakhana (the dam of the stable’s Group 2 winner Jayarebe), she shapes as though this longer trip will suit and her pedigree offers hope she’ll be fine on better ground.

The big worry for Esna is the form of her trainer Brian Meehan, who has yet to record a winner this year and has a run-to-form figure in the last two weeks of just 13 per cent, with two of his better horses (Oceans Four and Rashabar) trailing home last.

Therefore, it could pay to side with Sacred Ground, who was given two quick runs at the back-end of last year and hails from a yard that has won five of the last ten runnings of this contest.

Sacred Ground looked a good deal better than the three-quarter-length winning margin suggested on her debut at Yarmouth in October, doing well to overcome evident inexperience. She backed up that impression when second in the Listed Montrose Fillies’ Stakes here in November, impressing with how she travelled into the lead before being overhauled.

By Kingman out of Oaks winner Anapurna, she looks sure to go on to even better things as a three-year-old and this Oaks entrant could be a lot shorter than 66-1 for the Epsom Classic come Sunday.

Goblet Of Fire (2.55)

Nicky Henderson is no stranger to success on the Flat and Newmarket has been a good track for him.

The Lambourn trainer has saddled eight winners from 31 runners (26 per cent strike-rate) on the Rowley Mile and backing each of those blind to a level stake would have yielded a profit of +100.50.

Nicky Henderson: notable strike-rate on the Rowley MileCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

This 1m6f handicap looks a good spot for his Goblet Of Fire, who shaped as though he would benefit from a stiffer test of stamina when a rallying fifth in a good 1m4f handicap at Kempton three weeks ago on his first start following wind surgery and a 140-day break.

Goblet Of Fire is equally as effective on turf, as he showed when chasing home subsequent Listed winner Miss Alpilles (now 20lb higher) in a 1m6f handicap at Goodwood in August. He is just 3lb above his last winning mark and rates a big player off a low weight.
Harry Wilson

Best of the quotes

Oliver Brown Pretty Polly Stakes (1.45)

Brian Meehan, trainer of Esna
She's in great form and I'm really happy with her. She couldn't be any better. She's been in the 1,000 Guineas all week, but I think she'll be better over a mile and a quarter. We always felt it would a good trip for her but she ran so well in the Group 1 in France last year, so she had to have the Guineas entry as an option. She's a very progressive filly and it should be a great year with her.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Sacred Ground
She won well first time at Yarmouth last year and showed she handled this track when second in a Listed race at the end of the season. She's wintered well and has trained well into this, and we feel the mile and a quarter is on her radar.

Betfred Handicap (2.55)

Michael Bell, trainer of Yashin
He was in good form this time last year when he won the Sagaro. He seems very fresh and well, so we're hopeful of a good run. 

Jim Boyle, trainer of Many Men
He's very well. He's come on from his Musselburgh reappearance and we're very happy with him.

Sean Woods, trainer of Bahadur
He's a progressive stayer who has strengthened up over the winter. The race wasn't run to suit him on his reappearance, but we've been very happy with him. This is probably a stepping stone to the Copper Horse at Ascot.

HKJC World Pool Handicap (5.20)

Sean Woods, trainer of Gatehouse
We ran him twice quite close together at the end of last year, when he was second and then won. We've brought him back to a mile because he's very uncomplicated. He's been training very well and although it's a high-class handicap, we've always liked him.
Sadie Iddenden

Read more on 1,000 Guineas Day:

1,000 Guineas pinstickers' guide: runners, tips, key quotes and Phill Anderson's ratings for every contender 

Her preparation has been far from perfect but Precise bring serious form to the table - is her 1,000 Guineas price a steal?   

French master Andre Fabre teams up with Oisin Murphy as he eyes up another 1,000 Guineas   

The trainer for the big stage: can Karl Burke enhance his fine fillies record with Venetian Sun in the 1,000 Guineas?   

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