Weekly Betfair Briefing
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Timeform /
09 April 2011 /
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Frankel: Set to return at Newbury on Saturday

“Potentially the day’s most interesting event will be the seven-furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury, which is reportedly the target for last year’s champion two-year-old and hot 2,000 Guineas favourite Frankel“

Timeform look ahead to next week’s racing, which features Newmarket’s Craven meeting and the Scottish National at Ayr…

Sunday April 10

Ascot, Ludlow and Wincanton each stage NH cards in Britain, while in Ireland they go over jumps at Tramore and on the Flat at Leopardstown. The day’s most interesting card is likely to be the one at Leopardstown, where the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes, a noted Derby trial won by the likes of Galileo and High Chaparral, is the highlight.

Monday April 11

There is jumping at Hexham and Plumpton and all-weather action at Wolverhampton scheduled for Monday afternoon. Evening racing on the turf also kicks off with fixtures at Ffos Las and Windsor.

Tuesday April 12

Folkestone, Southwell and Wolverhampton all play host to Flat racing on Tuesday afternoon, while jumps enthusiasts will have to wait until the evening to get their fix with meetings at Taunton and Towcester.

Wednesday April 13

Wednesday is the first day of racing at Newmarket in 2011, where the Craven meeting kicks off with eight races. The most interesting of them will potentially be the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, which is one of the major 1,000 Guineas trials. The two listed events on the card are the Free Handicap and the Feilden Stakes, both of which have had classic implications in recent years, while there will also be some interesting three-year-olds on show in the valuable Tattersalls Millions Sprint. The day’s two other Flat fixtures take place at Catterick in the afternoon and Kempton in the evening.

As well as quality Flat racing, there is also top jumping to look forward to on Wednesday as Cheltenham’s two-day April meeting gets underway. The highlight there is the 21-furlong Silver Trophy Handicap Chase. There is also jumping at Southwell.

Thursday April 14

The Craven, run over the 2,000 Guineas course and distance, is the highlight of day two at Newmarket. No Craven winner has followed up in the Guineas since Haafhd in 2004, but the race has still proved a good guide to high-class performers, with the likes of Twice Over and Delegator featuring on the recent roll of honour. The other Group 3 on the card is the nine-furlong Earl of Sefton Stakes, while the six-furlong Abernant Stakes and the Tattersalls Millions Trophy provide further interest. Beverley and Kempton are the venues for the day’s other two Flat fixtures.

Over at Cheltenham there is a seven-race card to get stuck into, while there is also jumping at Sedgefield in the evening.

Racing also returns to Ireland with a Flat card at Tipperary.

Friday April 15

Ayr’s Scottish National meeting gets underway on Friday with seven races starting at 13:45. The day’s other jumps card is scheduled for Chepstow. On the level, there are meetings at Brighton, Newbury and Wolverhampton.

Saturday April 16

Saturday promises quality action on both the Flat and over jumps. Potentially the day’s most interesting event will be the seven-furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury, which is reportedly the target for last year’s champion two-year-old and hot 2,000 Guineas favourite Frankel. The three-year-old fillies will also be on trial in the Fred Darling Stakes there, while the remaining Group 3 on the card is the mile-and-a-half John Porter, won last year by Harbinger. There is also a major betting handicap set to take place at Newbury in the shape of the Spring Cup, run over the straight mile. The day’s other Flat fixtures are scheduled for Doncaster, Haydock, Leicester and Ripon.

Over jumps there is a fascinating card set to take place at Ayr, the obvious highlight of which is the four-mile Scottish National. The first two home from the NH Chase at Cheltenham, Chicago Grey and Beshabar are reportedly intended runners in the race, and they are understandably both towards the head of the market. The card at Ayr also features the Scottish Champion Hurdle and the two-and-a-half-mile Future Champion Novices’ Chase, both of which hold Grade 2 status.

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