'His preparation has been faultless' - Saturday's most revealing trainer quotes

The final day of the Punchestown festival coincides with a busy Saturday of Flat action in Britain, headlined by the first Classic of the season, the Qipco 2,000 Guineas. Here, we note the most revealing quotes from connections in today's biggest races.

Saturday racecards| Big-race tips| Watch In The Know

1.50 Newmarket
My Odds Boost On Betfair Handicap, 6f

James Horton, trainer of Asjad:

"He seems to have come out of his last race at Redcar very well. He surprised me a bit that day as I didn't think he was overly ready for it. He's gone up 5lb, but he's right at the weights and it's a good opportunity to give him a crack at something more valuable."

Forecast SP: 13-2

2.05 Thirsk
Fitzdares Thirsk Hunt Cup Handicap, 1m

John Quinn, trainer of Empirestateofmind:

"He’s in very good form. He’s a course and distance winner with a great draw in stall one and all ground comes alike to him. This is the classiest race he’s been involved in, but is a nice, progressive four-year-old and is very well at the moment."

Forecast SP: 7-1

2.25 Newmarket
Betfair Daily Rewards Suffolk Handicap, 1m1f

Chris Wall, trainer of Turntable:

"He likes it here and has historically run well at Newmarket. He's been going well and ours are in good form. We'll hope to get a good run from him. He'd have to run a personal best to win it, but we're looking forward to a nice run first time out. He won't want it too firm, but given the watering that has taken place and the fact that it's quite cool and still here, any drying up will be pretty slow now."

Forecast SP: 9-1

2.40 Goodwood
William Hill Conqueror Fillies' Stakes (Listed), 1m

Ed Walker, trainer of Primo Bacio:

"She's a very exciting filly and has no penalty in this. She looks in great nick and is a smart filly over a mile on fast ground, which she didn't get after the Falmouth Stakes last year."

Forecast SP: 6-4

3.00 Newmarket
Betfair Palace House Stakes (Group 3), 5f

Henry Candy, trainer of Twilight Calls:

"He's in good form and I've been happy with him since his last run. He has a tremendous ability to quicken, but whether he can so from handicaps to Group company I don't know. I think he's not far off Group class and he's quite exciting."

Forecast SP: 3-1

3.40 Newmarket
Qipco 2,000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1), 1m

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Dubawi Legend:

"His preparation has been faultless. All his work has been good. I'm very excited about him and we'll find out how much he's improved. I think speed is his forte and he's got a tremendous turn of foot. I'd be absolutely adamant he's trained on. He's definitely the best two-year-old I've trained – he was the equal second-best two-year-old in Europe last year on 115 – and it's now about how much he improves, as Galileo Gold improved from 110 to 122. I think he would win Galileo Gold's Guineas – I feel if they were in the same year Galileo Gold would finish second to him – but it's a different era."

Forecast SP: 16-1

3.50 Punchestown
Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m3f

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Epatante:

"That was probably as good as she's ever been at Aintree. Not because of the extra half-mile, but she's just been so fantastic this season. She's won three Grade 1s since the start of the campaign and was second in the Champion Hurdle."

Forecast SP: 13-8

5.00 Punchestown
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m

Paul Townend, rider of Vauban:

"He's hugely exciting and has progressed with every run over hurdles. He isn't the finished article yet but he was well on top winning the Triumph Hurdle and a reproduction of that should be good enough. If we get a bit of luck with him, I think he'll be very hard to beat."

Forecast SP: 1-2

Saturday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: can this up-and-coming trainer continue to make the game look easy?

2.05 Thirsk: 'The trip is perfect' – who could be in pole position scoop the Thirsk Hunt Cup?

2.25 Newmarket: Robbie Wilders reckons Godolphin's Dhahabi could prove better than a handicapper

2.40 Goodwood: can the class act and 'very exciting' Primo Bacio confirm her superiority?

3.00 Newmarket: can young Candy sprinter justify favouritsm and stake claim to sprint honours?

3.40 Newmarket: 'They are two very exciting colts' – 2,000 Guineas insight

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