Will Epsom put up a Derby contender and could Yarmouth provide a dark horse?

The 2022 Flat season is picking up pace and it is full steam ahead to the first of the Classics – the Qipco 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket – on April 30 and May 1 respectively.

Market movers come thick and fast as the key Classic trials are run in Britain and Ireland, but big-race contenders can come from anywhere and it's easy to miss a potential dark horse. Our Classic Clues series, which runs every morning, has you covered.

Here's a recap of the action on Monday and how it has impacted the Classic betting, while we mark your card with key names to note on Tuesday.

Racing round-up: Gosden contenders fall short but Maljoom impresses for Haggas

John and Thady Gosden trained the favourites of the two conditions races at Kempton with Oaks entrant Morning Poem and 2,000 Guineas contender Saga, but neither were able to show their full potential.

A poor showing from Morning Poem has probably put an end to her chances of Classic success, however Saga was far from disgraced in losing out to Maljoom, an unbeaten colt from the William Haggas yard.

Saga twice finished second to Godolphin 2,000 Guineas contenders during his juvenile campaign, coming up short against Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games and Coroebus, who will head straight to Newmarket and is second-favourite for that Classic.

This was a similarly close defeat, so perhaps Maljoom could be a dark horse for the 2,000 Guineas. He is not entered but his connections could be tempted to supplement him for the contest.

Market Movers

Qipco 2,000 Guineas
Native Trail 5-4 (from 6-4)
Saga 50-1 (from 33)

What they said

Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William Haggas, on Maljoom:
"He wasn’t out last year as he needed to fill out and he wasn’t ready. Giving him a bit of time and attention is helping him turn into a nice horse. He's got a beautiful attitude and is an easy chap to deal with."

All eyes on... Epsom, but could there be a dark horse lurking at Yarmouth?

The home of the June Classics has its first meeting of the Flat season and hosts the Listed Cazoo Blue Riband Trial (2.20), a springboard to the Cazoo Derby.

A trainer who has followed this path before was John Gosden with Cracksman, who went on to finish third in the 2017 Derby and he runs the unbeaten Mighty Ulysses, who is entered in the Derby.

United Nations is also delcared for Aidan O’Brien and he holds entries in the English and Irish Derbies, as well as the 2,000 Guineas. He will need to shrug off a poor performance in the Autumn Stakes on his last start at two, but a better performance would not come as a surprise.

Although the attention will be on their Derby entrant at Epsom, the Gosden's also send Security Code to Yarmouth (4.40), who won his only start at two and is entered in the Dante Stakes at York.

Gosden took the race with the smart King Of Comedy three years ago and Group 1 winner Without Parole in 2018, so an impressive performance by this colt would be interesting.

How the markets look

Qipco 2,000 Guineas (3.40 Newmarket, April 30)

bet365: 5-4 Native Trail, 7-2 Coroebus, 9-2 Luxembourg, 11 Perfect Power, 12 Point Lonsdale, 14 Dubawi Legend, 20 Checkandchallenge, 25 bar

Qipco 1,000 Guineas (3.40 Newmarket, May 1)

Sky Bet: 5-2 Inspiral, 4 Tenebrism, 9 Discoveries, 10 Homeless Songs, Tuesday, 12 Zellie, 14 Malavath, Cachet, 16 Rosacea, Mise En Scene, Sacred Bridge, Sandrine, Wild Beauty, 20 bar

Cazoo Oaks (4.30 Epsom, June 3)

Paddy Power: 4 Tuesday, 5 Inspiral, 9 Agave, 10 Life Of Dreams, 12 Concert Hall, 16 Above The Curve, 20 Toy, Eclat Du Lumiere, Magical Lagoon, Over The Rainbow, History, 25 bar

Cazoo Derby (4.30 Epsom. June 4)

William Hill: 5-2 Luxembourg, 10 New London, Reach For The Moon, Point Lonsdale, 12 Native Trail, 14 Walk Of Stars, Antarah, 16 Coroebus, 20 bar

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