'There wouldn’t be much between her and Mammas Girl' - Hannon and Amo Racing out to land another Guineas trial

What a cracking puzzle this season’s Fred Darling has presented for punters. In the Greenham we have an impenetrable market leader in Chaldean but in the corresponding Classic trial for fillies, there are at least four candidates who could go off favourite with enhanced place terms across the board to boot.

The conundrum with early-season Classic trials is whether the form and experience of the highly tried, established juveniles is worth valuing over the unknown quality of those who have created a favourable impression with limited racing. The gut feeling is the bar set by the likes of Magic Sunset, Olivia Maralda and Swingalong at two can be raised by a less-exposed type.

The early money has been for the once-raced Remarquee for Ralph Beckett and it is easy enough to see why in a wide-open affair. The Racing Post Rating of 90 Remarquee recorded on good to soft ground at Salisbury is the second-best debut effort behind Olivia Maralda, while Beckett knows the family well as he trained Remarquee’s dam to finish third in the Musidora Stakes in 2014.

John and Thady Gosden’s two once-raced winners, Bridestones and Soul Sister, have similar profiles as they looked fine prospects when scoring over a mile within three days of each other in maidens last October. The similarities extend further as they are the only two of these with an Oaks entry and lack a future Guineas engagement, a fact that naturally raises doubts ahead of this drop in trip.

The filly who may have been missed in the betting is the Hugo Palmer-trained Stenton Glider, who defied greenness to defeat a more experienced 1-4 chance on her debut at Chester with real authority. The form looks strong as the second landed a competitive Newmarket maiden in good style on Thursday and this track may be more suitable for Stenton Glider.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

John Gosden, joint trainer of Bridestones, Fully Wet and Soul Sister
There are very few places to run these fillies as there are not many nice novice races about just yet and they all have to handle the ground. Bridestones won on an easy surface at Yarmouth so should be okay. Soul Sister showed a great mental attitude to win on her debut at Doncaster last year and could be a middle distance filly. Fully Wet is the most experienced of the three and has solid each way claims on the form of her second in the Radley Stakes at the track.

Peter Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Crystallium
She’s been going along nicely but my worry is that it could be really soft ground and I don’t know if she’ll go on it. I’m very happy with her.

Crystallium makes her first start since switching to Peter Chapple-Hyam Credit: Mark Cranham

Richard Hannon, trainer of Magical Sunset
She won a Listed race over course-and-distance last October on heavy ground, so I wouldn’t be worried about if there’s lots of rain around and her work has been very good, although she’s not quite fully in her coat yet. There wouldn’t be much between her and Mammas Girl on their homework, albeit they’re in separate yards.

Roger Varian, trainer of Olivia Maralda
She's a new filly to us who has been eyecatching in her work, although the soft ground is a bit of an unknown. She deserves to take her chance in an open race.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Remarquee
Remarquee has worked well this spring but will come on for the run. This looks a nice starting point to the season and will tell us more about her.

Karl Burke, trainer of Swingalong
She’s done really well physically and I’m very happy. She’s working well and I’m confident she’ll get seven furlongs. It’s her first run of the season and I’m sure she will improve as all of ours do for the run. It’s a hot-looking running but she deserves to be in there and I’m sure she’ll run well. She’s a big long-striding filly and has won on good to soft so I’m sure she’ll handle the ground, though it might just find her fitness out a bit.
Reporting by Scott Burton

Read the rest of Saturday's previews:

2.25 Ayr: 'We've kept her back for this and we're very hopeful' - key quotes for the Scottish Champion Hurdle

2.40 Newbury: 'He's grown and strengthened' - can Chaldean emulate his sire Frankel and cement his 2,000 Guineas claims?

3.00 Ayr: 'I've had my eye on this for a while' - can Henderson's long-term target pay off for Balco Coastal?

3.15 Newbury: Can Irish Lincoln winner Lattam complete a unique spring double? All the key info for the Spring Cup

3.35 Ayr: 'He has a good future' - can Jonjo O'Neill add the Scottish National to his CV with Monbeg Genius?

2023 Scottish Grand National pinstickers' guide: trainer quotes and star ratings for every horse

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