Time to look back at the midweek action at Newmarlet which staged the often highly informative Craven Meeting. The ground had been quick in the lead up but 19mm of rain on Monday and overnight into Turesday turned the ground Good to Soft and while it dried a little by the final day (Thursday), Ryan Moore and other top riders were calling it soft on the first day. The opening day (Tuesday) featured two Group 3 races - the Earl of Sefton for the older horses over 1800m saw a convincing win fro PERSICA from the Richard Hannon yard. He had signed off last year running last in the Champion Stakes at Ascot which was probably flying a bit high but he had decent form at Listed/Group 3 level and has clearly come on for the winter. Hannon suggested after the race he might drop back to the mile for the Lockinge and then the Queen Anne. He's by New Bay out of a Lope de Vega mare so you'd think he'd always prefer some juice in the ground. OTTOMAN FLEET was well held in second and the rain had probably gone against him. Those supporting AMBIENTE FRIENDLY knew their fate before the off when trainer James Owen admitted the horse was "80% fit" and he weakened tamely in the final 200m. I'm sure the horse will improve a lot for the run but it's not much help to punters. The Group 3 Nell Gwyn for the 3-y-o fillies over 1400m saw a strong performance from ZANZOUN from the Gosden yard. She's a Juddmonte home bred being by Dubawi out of a Frankel mare and this was a big step forward on what she had shown as a juvenile. She won off a mark of just 83 and isn't in the English 1000 Guineas. Post race, Gosden immediately suggested the Pouliches a more likely option and the slow mid section of the race (as proved by the sectionals) throws some doubt on the quality of the form. CELESTIAL ORBIT ran a decent race in second and REMAAT went into the Stodge notebook as one to keep an eye on in third. NARDRA got tired and finished in fifth and the faltering start to the Charlie Appleby season continued as VERSE OF LOVE ran poorly with no obvious explanation. The Listed Feilden for the 3-y-o over 1800m saw the first two pull well clear of the others and establish themselves as decent middle distance types.Andrew Balding has had an excellent start (though blunted yesterday by the sudden switch of six horses in Sheikh Fahad's ownership) and AIMERIC showed plenty of determination to outbattle the Richard Hannon (another yard in good form) trained KING OF CITIES. AIMERIC is in the Dante and the Irish Derby while KING OF CITIES has a Dante and an English Derby entry. Both look nice colts for the season ahead. Balding had ZGHARTA in the 3-y-o fillies maiden over a mile but she was outpointed by the beautifully bred VICTORY QUEEN who won on debut for Godolphin. She's a half to the ill-fated COROEBUS and looks a decent prospect. Wednesday saw a complete change in the weather - Tuesday had been damp and still but Wednesday was bright and breezy with a strong cross wind and riders getting cover against the rail for their horses had a clear advantage. The ground was upgraded to Good after the first race. Two more Group 3 races - the Abernant over 1200m was the first sprint of any significance and it showed the paucity of the older sprinter division in Britain as the French raider SAJIR won well under a very good Oisin Murphy ride (with an added French debrief for connections). He was fourth in the Jean Prat last year as a 3-y-o which makes me think he could see out 1400m as well. ROMANTIC STYLE drifted like the proverbial barge in the betting and ran accordingly - another backwards step for Godolphin. The Group 3 Craven for the 3-y-o colts over a mile is a serious Guineas trial - oddly enough, five of the last six winners have go on to be either second or third in the 2000 Guineas. Native Trail went on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas and Masar won the Derby. It's a race therefore with some serious credentials. It produced a clear winner in FIELD OF GOLD making a double for John Gosden and Juddmonte in the classic trials. FIELD OF GOLD got a bit of shelter from the wind but produced a really smart turn of foot up the hill and powered away to win by three and a half lengths. He's by Kingman out of a Shamardal mare and you just think a mile would be his optimum though Gosden thinks he'll get 2000m. The bookmaker reaction was predictable and FIELD OF GOLD is now 5/2 favourite for the Englsih 2000 Guineas a fortnight today. WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE ran perfectly well in second - he's 25s for the Guineas but more likely to head for the Derby via the Dante. AOMORI CITY ran okay for Godolphin in third while NEW CENTURY got trapped out wide, ran a little free and didn't get home. He's 66s for the 2000 Guineas which is a slight over reaction as I'm sure he'll be much better for the run. The Balding juggernaut may have been stopped in the Craven but he had the winner in the Wood Ditton for the unraced 3-y-o colts in HIGH STOCK but like many others I was very taken by the second, SPY KINGDOM, an American bred who ran with a lot of promise and I'd love to see him on a much firmer track. Balding doubled up when SPANISH VOICE earned a 40/1 quote for the Derby when making all to win the 2000m maiden. He's a half to a couple of ordinary types but at a meeting when it was hard to make all he defied the stats and I suspect they'll send him to the Dante. The jumps season may be in its last days but the battle for the UK Trainers Championship between Dan Skelton and Willie Mullins is keeping interest very much alive. Having seen a million pound lead shrink to just 1,500 by the beginning of the week, Skelton has extended the lead to £38k after the week's action. He got nearly £40k when his RISKINTHEGROUND won the Grade 2 chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday just beating off the Mullins favourite O'MOORE PARK who might have prevailed but for a mistake at the third last. Mullins is bringing a significant raiding party to Plumpton tomorrow and Monday before the big finale meeting at Sandown next Saturday.

It was a response and counter argument to SLBs point half way through page one. Lord knows what you were trying to reply to as the data shared was completely irrelevant to ANY of the discussions taking place here.  I take it thats why you conveniently ignored my earlier questions when I shot it down.  At least Racingoutaider was willing to give it a go on your behalf.

Yes, All Westher Finals Day (as it is marketed) has carved out a niche on Good Friday which, for decades, had no racing at all.  There are also big "open house" events at Lambourn in the south and Middleham in the north with yards open and various equestrian shows and displays. The money on offer yesterday was significant and in contrast, it has to be said, to a lot of the synthetic races run in the depths of winter which are basically betting shop fodder - turn up to a midweek floodlight meeting at Newcastle or Kempton in January and they'll announce the crowd changes to the jockeys. One Newcastle midweek card in January this year had 183 paying customers. There looked to be some decent crowds yesterday as well. From where I sit, there seems to be a lot of anti-synthetic hysteria in New Zealand. You're so fortunate you can race on grass all year long - we can't. All Weather racing benefits a number of players - the courses, the betting shops but, most important, the smaller owners, trainers and jockeys who can keep going throught the winter months. We know the better jockeys and horses go to Meydan, Bahrain or Saudi where the prize money is fantastic but for those without that kind of firepower, the synthetics in Britain and Ireland keep them in business. I don't know about New Zealand but there must be struggling owners, trainers and riders who would welcome a steady and (arguably) reliable source of income or at least the opportunity to earn income through June, July and August. Yet the traditionalists seem dead set against it and I don't know why. I don't have a strong view on whether Tapeta is better than Polytrack - probably - but both types of surface, if properly managed and maintained, will be more than suitable.  You could start your 2-y-o and late developing 3-y-o ealrier without them having to run on heavy turf.  

Jimmy isn't just a star, he's a superstar!!!  Proudly flying the flag for not only Little Avondale Stud, but for also for his Sire Per Incanto!!!

Especially when the final field is likely to be stronger again. Well, if the HK runner turns up anyway. 

What issues does Trentham face clown...they had had so much extra racing this season and got through it meeting after meeting???? The timing issue is being sorted which is a small thing but you keep banging on about issues that you and your many nom de plumes talk amongst themselves about...time to move on or you will be moved out.

Paid $6.40 today. Why on earth would anyone think think $7 for a race 6 months away was any sort of value.

Dont bother about them Insider they are not worth it...they just love to stir the proverbial.

Well done to him it was a bloody hot field today...should be no more knockers now.

Add some custard to your humble pie. When everything turns to custard, a bit of humble pie doesn't taste anywhere near as bad 🤣

I'll take the risk and bet later on. It's still 6 months away.

Google Hastings race meeting abandonments.

Seen as you are the expert and contradicting me, tell us all what the significant and long standing issue is.

Currently at $7.00 

And next prep he'll be even better, the trainer says. The Everest appears to be the target. 

I'd like to say I knew a bloke like that but fear for Scooby's blood pressure. Never mind, it's the thought that counts.

Fast becoming one of my favourite horses. 

3 race meetings in Auckland on same day, never heard of that before, I'm surprised they are able to service all them in same day.

i think it relates to staff not being allowed to work too many hours in a day - some cover both meets ?