I hadn't noticed Quadrilateral had a tongue tie for the first time today. The jockey reported that she ran too free and that she might be suited by further. Cloak Of Spirits ran well considering the stable form but this was a strange race from a betting point of view and from the way it panned out. Hard to believe the money for Raffle Prize because she was even less likely than Millisle to stay a mile in my opinion. Mark Johnston has also had more duffers than successes in the Guineas no matter how bullish he has seemed coming into them. Raffle Prize was stone bonking last and beaten more than 30 lengths. A puzzling gamble to me. Final Song casts a shadow on the form today. She had seemed to go backwards slightly from a third at Newmarket's July meeting last year and her 98 official rating of 98 seemed quite appropriate given her runs in Saudi Arabia with no sign of progress this year. It left her with a stone to find to be a player today and her proximity to Quadrilateral (one length) today makes you feel that it is sensible to assume Quadrilateral has run short of her rating, rather than Final Song suddenly improving on her 9th start. You can't crab Love for the way she won that today but I suspect there may have been a lot of dross in that field. The 200/1 shot and 97 rated Romsey only a half length further back in 5th casts an even darker shadow over the race. Aidan O'Brien told Olly Bell that the Oaks is the plan for Love at the moment and only failing to stay could stop her really. The Irish 1000 Guineas betting will need a shake up for sure after today.
Quadrilateral looked keen on the way down and never really settled in the race, she ran well considering and will be a good filly at 8-10f this season if its a one off first time up a la Victor Ludorum. Love is a full sister to 1m6 G3 winner Peach Tree and 1m4 G3 winner Flattering, Obrien said last year a mile would be her minimum, and the worry today was whether she would have the speed, she will have absolutely no problem with 12f and it will take a good one to beat her. Hopefully Domino Darling gets back on the track soon for a trial.
Two more nice ones for Gosden with King Leonidas and Sunray Major. I was surprised King Leonidas was not favourite but he saw off the odds on Eastern World readily despite conceding 7 lbs into the bargain. Later on Sunray Major was green and hung across when asked for the maximum but he knuckled down and came right away in the closing stages. A Dubawi half brother to Kingman the breeding meant he was odds-on but he tanked the field in the style of a colt with a lot more to come. Gosden seems to have plenty of talented colts but Waldkonig isn't one of them on yesterday's evidence and yet again the 2000 Guineas eludes him for another season. He's the man to beat again in this year in Britain.
It is very easy after the fact but congratulations to those who had Love today. I thought she would need further but my each way on the second gave me a good run for my money and would be paying for the beer if the pub was open! Love reminds me a lot of Aidan’s Arc winner Found. She has had a lot of racing but does just seem to thrive on it. When he spoke to ITV via Zoom beforehand he did his usual “she will come on for the race”. She looks very hard to go against for the Oaks at the moment as when Moore was interviewed he said that she was an uncomplicated ride and she had a good handy position the whole race. Her versatility is a definite plus at Epsom but I do not think she wants soft ground. I think the favourite blew it early by not settling and all that talk about Raffle Prize front running was done as soon as the gates opened. As Millisle never really showed, I wonder if her next stop will be a sprint. Could she go to Ascot and drop back to six? I am not sure that we will see Summer Romance on the track again as she once again lost her race before it started. Since the first and third will go to Epsom, I am hopeful that Hannon will turn Cloak Of Spirits out for the Coronation at Ascot so I can put my place money on her to win.
I thought The Charlie Hills outsider ALPIN KING ran quite an eyecathcing race behind Sunray Major. Nothing at all special on pedigree but given the yards runners often come on a bundle for their debut it could be one for the tracker.
Quadrilateral was way too fresh. Over the first 4f she had run two races. Strange as she had seemed docile in her 3 2yo starts. Charlton's plan was always to go straight to the Guineas but she looked as if she needed a Trial.
