Sunday's Selection

Heaney's jumping let him down yesterday just as the race was starting to take shape. He looked to be travelling alright up until about a mile from home but a couple of sticky leaps soon saw him pushed along and he faded out of it badly. It was a desperately disappointing effort but at least he will get more relief from the handicapper. I'm not sure the deluge of rain that fell before and during the race suited him either as he needs decent ground to be seen at his best.

It was a much better effort from Massaat in the Guineas and he found only the exciting Galileo Gold too good. The winner was hugely impressive and the turn of foot he showed to pull clear was amazing. Air Force Blue ran no sort of race for favourite backers but with soft in the ground description yesterday it was never going to be ideal for the son of War Front. It is way too soon to write him off though, and I am sure we will see a different animal on quicker ground during the summer. Today's action sees the fillies take their turn at Newmarket and you can find out my thoughts below.

NEWMARKET 1000 GUINEAS

It is a cracking card of racing at Newmarket on Sunday with the highlight undoubtedly the 1000 Guineas. Once again it is Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore with the favourite, and Minding has the form in the book to justify her price of just 6/4. She is versatile regarding ground, her wins coming on surfaces ranging from good to firm to yielding. The way she hosed up in the Fillies' Mile here (good to soft) at the tail end of last season remains fresh in the memory and she really seemed to relish the 8f trip. Her pedigree is second to none, by Galileo and out of top mare Lillie Langtry, herself a dual Group 1 winner over a mile. She will be hard to beat but she is just 6/4 and there is plenty of each way value to be found elsewhere in the race.

The biggest priced O'Brien runner is Alice Springs and she is a 20/1 shot after she was well beaten on her reappearance behind Jet Setting at Leopardstown (7f). However, she was never going to be suited by the heavy ground that day and she is better judged on her close 2nd at the Breeders Cup (8f yielding) last October. She had previously taken the 2yo Fillies Trophy here over 7f (good to firm). She was just over a length behind Minding in 3rd when they met in the Group 2  Moyglare (7f yielding) at the Curragh with Ballydoyle just ahead of her in 2nd. I think the better ground at Newmarket today will suit Alice Springs well, as will the step back up to a mile, and at odds of 20/1 she looks overpriced. She is the each way suggestion in what should be a thrilling 1000 Guineas.

STEVOS' SELECTION: ALICE SPRINGS E/W 20/1