Big guns declared for Craven
Rob Roy and Etlaala, two of the leading fancies for the UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas, face a fascinating clash in tomorrow’s bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket.
The former is trained by Michael Stoute and is the 8-1 second favourite with Coral for the Guineas after winning his only start in a Newmarket maiden last October.
Etlaala represents last year’s winning connections of owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, trainer Barry Hills and jockey Richard Hills.
They teamed up to win both the Craven Stakes and the Guineas with Haafhd 12 months ago, and Etlaala is 10-1 with Coral to follow in his hoofprints after an impressive win at Doncaster last season.
Iceman, who was beaten by Etlaala in the Champagne Stakes on Town Moor, makes his seasonal bow for John Gosden while Richmond Stakes winner Montgomery’s Arch is Peter Chapple-Hyam’s runner.
The son of Arch was last seen when finishing third in the Dewhurst Stakes, when Etlaala disappointed on the soft ground and trailed home eighth, and Chapple-Hyam believes he may just need the run.
“His work to start with this year was very lazy – but now it is fantastic,” he told his website, www.peterchapplehyam.com.
“He is in top form – he’d have to be, running in the Craven. He will need the run in he race, so there’s improvement for the Guineas.”
Jim Bolger’s Democratic Deficit makes the trip across the Irish Sea while Richard Hannon relies on the Queen’s Forward Move, who was an impressive winner over the course and distance last September.
Kandidate and Mister Genepi complete the field for the Group Three race over a mile as Peruvian Prince, who was also initially declared, has been taken out by trainer James Toller.
