'This is no normal Craven' - 2,000 Guineas favourite Native Trail set to dazzle

bet365 Craven Stakes (Group 3) | 3yo colts & geldings | 1m | ITV4/RTV

It is not news to anyone who follows the waxing and waning of the racing seasons that the Craven Meeting follows on at a pace from the Grand National.

But the feature of the three-day meeting, the bet365 Craven Stakes, is almost precision-designed to engage the Flat side of the racing brain this year, with the reappearance of last season's European champion two-year-old and warm Qipco 2,000 Guineas favourite Native Trail.

It is not often a top juvenile takes in a trial before the Guineas, with Frankel a rare exception when he ran in the seven furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury in 2011.

While the Craven itself has provided plenty of quality down the years, Native Trail is only the third horse this century to line up with an official rating of 120 or more, while you have to go back to 1999 and Mujahid for the last champion juvenile to contest the race.

Appleby has been delighted with Native Trail's recent work and is hoping the Craven will put an edge on him ahead of the Guineas, for which he is a best-priced 11-4 favourite.

Native Trail is as short as 11-4 for the 2,000 Guineas on April 30Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"We are looking forward to seeing Native Trail get his three-year-old season started," Appleby said. "He has wintered very well and we have been pleased with preparation, so we don't have any negatives going into this.

"William Buick has ridden him plenty lately and the whole team are very happy with where the horse is.

"It's only two and a half weeks until the 2,000 Guineas, so we feel he is not going to need the run in the Craven, but it will help click his racing brain back into gear. It's of more benefit mentally rather than physically."

Star Of India set to shine for O'Brien

There has been a theory that Aidan O'Brien uses the early season trials in Britain to test the opposition with horses just below the very best, but in Star Of India he presents a colt about whom the trainer may be just as eager to find out about as those watching on.

Star Of India won a backend Leopardstown maiden going away from his rivals on his sole start at two and is a Galileo half-brother to Phoenix Stakes winner Sudirman.

His brother Roman Empire was only just touched off by Mohaafeth in last season's Hampton Court Stakes before heading to Hong Kong to continue his career under the new name of SJ Tourbillon.

Star Of India will represent Ballydoyle in the bet365 Craven StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"We were delighted with him on his first start at Leopardstown last season," O'Brien said. "He's been in good form over the winter and seems to have done well physically.

"We think he'll come on for the run and that the step up to a mile shouldn't do him any harm. He's still quite green and babyish, so hopefully the experience will be good for him too."

What they say

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Claymore
It was either run him here or the Greenham but I hope the ground doesn't dry out too much as he wants good ground ideally. He's always been a nice horse and showed that when winning on his debut at the track last year, This will tell us a lot more about him and whether he's a Guineas horse or not.

Claymore strides clear of his rivals on his only start as a two-year-oldCredit: Edward Whitaker

Emily Scott, racing manager to Amo Racing, owners of Kingmax
He's done really well. I saw him the day after he ran at Kempton and a month later later and he's just thrived for it. Physically he looks amazing and has sharpened up a bit. We had him in the Feilden but we thought we'd give the mile a crack. It's a massive step up in class but he's a very nice horse. We'll find out how good he is tomorrow.

Martyn Meade, trainer of Zechariah
He was a horse that needing furnishing last year, which he's done during the winter and has come on very well. We weren't expecting the sort of entries we've got – this isn't a normal Craven. We'll be able to see how good he is and make a plan. He's certainly in good form and I think everything he did in his two-year-old career was a bit of a bonus. In terms of trip he takes more after his damsire Pivotal, so we've gone for this rather than something like the Feilden.

Tuesday's race previews:

Craven analysis: 'Champion juveniles don't always evolve into champion three-year-olds' (Members' Club)

2.05 Cheltenham: 'Magnificent' festival star Coole Cody back for more at favourite track

2.25 Newmarket: Expert pedigree analysis as unraced three-year-olds go on show in Wood Ditton

3.00 Newmarket: 'One of the best of his generation' - Palmer talks up Group 1 star Ebro River

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