Handicappers' Corner: Cecil Snaps Hannon's domination of the Classic trials

Sir Henry Cecil: trainer of Hot Snap

The main focus this week was on the Guineas trials at Newmarket and Newbury, and there was one colt and one filly in particular that came out with their reputations greatly enhanced. David Johnson goes into more detail.

It seems to be becoming an increasingly favoured approach by some trainers (under both codes) to swerve more recognised trials, for the more softly approach of coming into big races fresh, or with the benefit of racecourse gallops. There was a reminder this week though of how informative the trials can be, in particular at Newmarket with the Craven and Nell Gwyn.

The Craven attracted a small field, but a select one nonetheless, all four runners successful in pattern company as a juvenile, and whilst odds-on quotes for Toronado were hard to justify pre-race, it was soon evident why he was sent off such a warm order.

Making every yard, and never looking in any danger, Toronado came home 4 lengths clear of stablemate Havana Gold with Dundonnell a further neck away. Despite historical standards pointing towards a rating in the high 120s, a lower assessment was taken, Toronado earning a rating of 124p. 

An analysis of the sectional times, and making an adjustment to the overall timefigure (of just 103) based on Toronado's very quick last three-furlong split was a significant factor in the rating awarded.

In terms of the 2000 Guineas, there's no doubting Toronado enhanced his claims, boosting his rating from 114p, and only Dawn Approach will go into the race having shown a higher level of form in Timeform's opinion.

The Nell Gwyn was probably even more informative. Rather disappointingly, the ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas, Just The Judge galloped pre-racing rather than take her chance, and she rightly lost her place at the head of the market to Sir Henry Cecil's Hot Snap.

The winner of just a maiden on her only start as a juvenile, and rated 84p coming into the race, Hot Snap very much announced herself as the one to beat for the 1000 Guineas when posting a rating of 118p to win the Nell Gwyn. 

Still green in the early stages, Hot Snap cut through the field in impressive fashion, still last two furlongs out, but quickening well to pull just over two lengths clear of Moyglare winner Sky Lantern, with a further two and a half lengths back to Cheveley Park runner-up Winning Spirit.

Historical standards would point to a figure around 112 for the latest Nell Gwyn. But the winning time suggests that underestimates what Hot Snap achieved. The gallop was strong in the Nell Gwyn, some going too hard, and the sectional times confirm that Hot Snap ran her race more efficiently than some of her rivals, but she completed the course 0.45 seconds faster than the winner of the Free Handicap, and a timefigure of 118 for Hot Snap makes her form look very solid.

A figure of 118 would have won four of the last five renewals of the 1000 Guineas, the exception being the unfathomable result last year when Homecoming Queen won by nine lengths.

Newbury on Saturday played host to its own trials, but they don't look likely to prove anything like so strong. Like the Craven, the Greenham attracted a small field and a Richard Hannon-trained odds-on shot, Olympic Glory ultimately confirming he's returned as good as he was a 2-y-o.

The bare form of the Greenham looks unlikely to prove reliable, the race steadily run, and producing a slower time than the Fred Darling, and whilst there's little doubting Olympic Glory is worth a rating of 118 on the strength of his 2-y-o form, there has to be big doubts as to whether Sir Patrick Moore is worth a figure of 115, and so he has a '?' attached to the master rating.

Middle Park runner-up Moohaajim failed to enhance his Guineas claims with a performance that suggested a lack of stamina may well be an issue should he take his chance in the Guineas, looming up but not finding a great deal. 

Rosdhu Queen was the form pick going into the Fred Darling, but the Lowther and Cheveley Park winner failed to get home, and it was the disappointing Cheveley Park favourite, Maureen that got her career back on track. A new rating of 110+ still leaves Maureen with something to find with the best of her sex in the Guineas.

Elsewhere at these meetings, there were a couple of noteworthy performances in the sprinting division, both Tickled Pink (117) in the Abernant and Heerat (119+) putting up performances that suggest they have the potential to mix it in pattern company with the more established types.