Guineas Tips: Racing Lee's Best Bets for Newmarket featuring both Classics

It’s hard to see past the warm favourite CITY OF TROY in the 2000 Guineas (the first of five classics in the UK flat season).

He was sent off 6-4 on debut thanks to connections, as well as the breeding and pedigree he has. He burst on to the scene with a smooth win, before heading to the superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July course.

He was a devastating six-length winner of that Group 2, pulling well clear of past and subsequent winners in the process.

Second that day was Haatem, who has won the Craven Stakes easily on his seasonal debut this season - a key trial for this race (runners guide here).

City Of Troy ended the season with another easy-manner victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst, a key stepping stone to this race.

All-in-all, he will be tough to beat for his all-conquering stable.

Sandwiched in-between the Guineas, and heading the 1000 Guineas day card on Sunday, is the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes.

I was blow away with the manner in which KALPANA went about her win here in April.
She won by an eased down 10 lengths over this course and distance.

She’s now two from three having won on debut, and been runner-up to a warm favourite in the middle of those victories.

But, she took a massive step forward and won how she liked the last day, galloping relentlessly to the line to pull well clear of her rivals.

I think she can take the step up in class in her stride, and notch another win to claim this nice prize.

I’m sticking with the master of Ballydoyle once again.

I think he (Aidan O’Brien) can land the famous double to claim both Guineas and the first classics of the season (1000 runners guide here), this time with YLANG YLANG.

No fancy prices about for the 1000 Guineas, but more value than in the 2000 version.

Plenty who could step forward markedly this season, but I’m happy with my selection being the chosen choice of the stable.

A two-time winner including a Group 3, before being a tailed-off 6-5 favourite in the Group One Moyglare Stud, she comes here with a few questions marks.

But, for me you should always forgive a horse one bad run, and I’m happy to scrap that and say it wasn’t her true running.

The favourite for this race won that Moyglare, Fallen Angel, and beat Vespertilio in the process, a horse who my selection had beaten by the same distance previously.

Ylang Ylang then bounced back with a staying on third in the Group 2 Rockel on this course. The winner, Carla’s Way, ended her campaign with a three-length defeat in the Group 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Ylang Ylang ended her own season with a Group 1 win herself, in the Fillies' Mile here at Newmarket. 

As previous, she took the full mile to get going and only won it at the line. I think the mile first time back with suit her well, and can step up in trip as the season goes on if needed.

No prizes for originality, but another Aidan O’Brien Guineas winner looked on the cards to me.