'His work has been very nice' - key quotes and expert analysis for the three-year-old sprint handicap

If you are strapping in for a summer's punting on the Flat, this race should get just as much of your attention as the Craven. It is highly likely that a couple of these will develop into smart sprinters before the season is out.

Last year's race included among the beaten horses the winner of a heritage handicap and Listed race (Harry Three), another Listed winner (Princess Shabnam), a York winner and Ayr Gold Cup fourth (Lucky Man) and two Racing League winners (System and Vintage Clarets). That was no freak occurrence either. The year before Creative Force won the race, with Rohaan in behind.

The sheer weight of unexposed runners in the 15-strong field this year only increases the chances of there being valuables to uncover. Unsurprisingly, many of the least exposed are prominent in the betting.

As might be expected, besides lack of exposure the other major factor in deciding the early prices is connections. Changing Colours represents the William Buick-Charlie Appleby axis and has to be respected, although he is bred for significantly further. Kerdos and Pinafore look just as likely to these eyes. Their respective trainers Clive Cox and William Haggas are pretty much as good as anyone at bringing a three-year-old along slowly and these horses have both shown plenty of promise. Kerdos could also be said to be race-fit after a run at Lingfield 26 days ago.

Perhaps slightly less obvious, but also worth tracking either for market support or to pick out on the replay, are Ferrous and Yacowlef. Both went the right way in the autumn during fairly light two-year-old campaigns and both have speed-laden pedigrees. Ferrous in particular has the background of a late-maturing sprinter and is one of several candidates in this race for a fruitful season in sprint handicaps.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Richard Hannon, trainer of Shouldvebeenaring, Immortal Beauty and Swift Asset
Shouldvebeenaring is fit and has been running very well on the all-weather. Alec [Voikhansky] claims 7lb and he should be very competitive. Immortal Beauty, like Swift Asset, has her first run of the year and she’s done very well, so hopefully can run a nice race.

Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer of Bluelight Bay
He hung badly on his last start at Newbury, so we’ve put cheekpieces on him and he’s shown no signs of it at home. He has some great form from last year and has done well over the winter.

Clive Cox, trainer of Kerdos
He made a very pleasing job of his two runs as a two-year-old. He just got chinned at Lingfield on his reappearance this year and has trained really nicely. He's far from the finished article, so I'm very much looking forward to him improving further.

Adrian Nicholls, trainer of King’s Crown
It’s a very warm race but I’m pleased with him going into it. He’s an outsider on paper but he ran in a lot of big races last year and has been training well through the winter. He won’t mind any cut in the ground.

Jack Channon, trainer of Ferrous
We were delighted with his reappearance at Southwell, where he was nabbed by quite a decent horse of Ed Bethell’s. He’s come on for that and is in great form. His work has been very nice and we like him. The more the course dries out the better.

William Haggas, trainer of Pinafore
Her work has been solid this spring. I think she'll get seven furlongs but it's nice to start her over six.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

Read our Thursday previews:

'This has been the plan for a while and there's lots in her favour' - key quotes for the mares' final at Cheltenham  

'Everyone's very pleased and he goes there with a real chance' - key quotes for the Wood Ditton  

Red-hot favourite Creative Force could prove unstoppable for irresistible Appleby and Buick  

Is there a 2,000 Guineas winner lurking in the Craven Stakes field?  

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