Dubai: Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Surour will be hoping that Be Ready and True Story can show some class when they contest the Group 3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket, next Thursday.
The race serves as a key trial for both the English 2,000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby and both Bin Surour’s trainees are being tested for their Classic ability. Importantly, the Craven offers trainers the first opportunity of the season to assess their potential stars.
A progressive son of New Approach, Be Ready will be making his first appearance since winning a Listed race at Doncaster, England last September. It is also 278 days since True Story won his maiden at Newmarket.
It is the first time that Be Ready and True Story will contest the mile, the same distance over which the Dante is run over the famous Rowley Mile course. The former is a best price 16-1 shot with British oddsmaker William Hill for the Newmarket showpiece while True Story is available at odds of 33-1.
This year, the £65,000 event has attracted some big name including the Richard Hannon’s unbeaten Champion Two-Year-Old Toormore, winner of the Group 1 National Stakes at The Curragh last September.
Other notable contenders include Sudirman, the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner at the Curragh in August, and Anjaal, who won the Group 2 Portland Place Properties July Stakes at Newmarket’s July Course last summer.
Anjaal will represent Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
Marco Botti, who saddles the exciting once-raced Patentar, said: “We had lots of other options with him but he has been working well and doing everything right at home and his owners want to find out how good he is. He was still a bit weak last year so we decided to give him plenty of time.
“The Craven looks a very hot race, an excellent trial for the Guineas horses, and I am realistic that this represents a big jump from winning a maiden.
“But he is one of our three-year-olds that we hold in high regard and we hope that he could be a Group horse.”
The afternoon’s other Group 3 event, the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Earl Of Sefton Stakes, has a strong 12-horse entry including last year’s winner, Mull of Killough, plus the 2013 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine, Just The Judge.
The £200,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy and the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes, are two more highlights among eight quality races, beginning at 1.45pm. The Abernant could witness the reappearance of Aljamaaheer, a Group 2 winner over a mile last term who is now turning his hand to sprinting.
