On Saturday at a minute past 4pm we heard the news that we had started to doubt, that racing would recommence for the first time since March behind closed doors at Newcastle. The BHA have done a really good job in reassuring all interested parties with an excellent briefing document that demonstrates horse racing has covered all the minute detail to ensure that all protocols will be effectively followed behind closed doors, ensuring horse racing continues safely.

At Newmarket the first two classics take place with the 2,000 Guineas on Saturday and the 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, which will be the climax of their four day card.

At Deauville this afternoon they have their 2000 and 1000 Guineas Classics, with two excellent fields here. Check out my selections below on an exciting day. Cheers!

2.50 Deauville 2000 Guineas Emirates Poule d’Essal des Poulains (Group 1) 1m

The race seems to revolve around whether Victor Ludorum is the horse he was last year, and a defeat at prohibitive odds on his return at Longchamp hardly boosted his claims here. However, in retrospect, plenty of Andre Fabre’s needed the run first time out this year, and it would be foolish to write him off on the back of one run. Nevertheless, odds of 13-8 hardly set your reaching for your wallet.

It seems somewhat strange that the winners of the trial races for this, The Summit and Shinning Ocean, can be backed at 9-1 and 22-1 respectively. The Summit made all in the Prix de Fontainebleu, beating Ecrivain and Victor Ludorum in the process, but Longchamp was very much favouring front runners at that time, and others will surely be more aware of those tactics here. However, whilst Shinning Ocean has to step up, he looks sure to progress and is a big price.

Ecrivain is very interesting. He looked in need of the run before Longchamp, from the pictures we saw anyway, and ran well in the circumstances, picking up very well once extracting himself from a bit of traffic. The way he hit the line running suggested he would benefit greatly from the experience, and a bit of drying ground wouldn’t bother him.

Reshabar sprang a major surprise when taking care of Celestin in Prix du Belvedere, but that form looks a little shaky, and a bigger threat might be Alson, second to Victor Ludorum on Arc day last year. The worry would be a lack of a run, but he cannot be discounted either.

Unibet Ecrivain 3/1 win

Unibet Shinning Ocean 22/1 each way

3.25 Deauville 1,000 Guineas Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Group 1) 1m

Tropbeau (nap) brings strong credentials to the table here, particularly as she was one of the few Fabre runners to perform well in the week racing was finally restarted in France. Although her winning margin was only half a length over Dream And Do in the Prix de la Grotte, she responded well to a reminder and found plenty for pressure. She gave the impression she had a lot left in the tank, and will be hard to beat if in the same form.

Simeen’s win over Golden Crown at Chantilly was a little less impressive, but she remains unbeaten and may have more to come.

Dream And Do ought to run her race again, but whether she can find that bit extra to reverse form with Tropbeau has to be open to question, and Tickle Me Green, just behind the pair of them in third in the Grotte, looks better each-way value. That was her first start for Fabre and she may well have needed the run. It’s not hard to see here reversing form with Dream And Do, and for those looking for something at a bigger price than the favourite, she may be the one.

Unibet Tropbeau (nap) 6/4 win

Unibet Tickle Me Green 13/2 each way

This weekend Newmarket, the HQ of flat racing, hosts the first two classics of 2019 with the Qipco 2000 Guineas on Saturday and Qipco 1000 Guineas on Sunday.

The 2000 Guineas Celebrates its 210th running on Saturday, the first winner back in 1809 being Wizard. The racing world will be watching intently hoping for the magic of another wonder horse to appear on the scene. Four of the last ten Derby winners ran in the Guineas to emphasise the class fields that assemble for the Guineas each year.

With the weather looking set fair for the majority of the week, good fast flat ground can be expected.

Not unsurprisingly the front of the market is dominated by the ever powerful O’Brien stable. Magna Garcia currently heading the market at 7/2, already proven over a mile winning the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes last October, and looking all class.

Ten Sovereigns next in the market at 5/1 arguably has the best form in the book going into the race. All wins last year were over 6 furlongs, but with a mixture of speed and middle distance angles to the pedigree, and O’Brien rarely one to tilt at windmills, the assumption is that staying a mile will be within scope for Ten Sovereigns. Which ever horse is chosen by Ryan Moore sure to go off favourite.

Royal Marine from Godolphin a 2 year old Group one winner in France over 1 mile, albeit on slower ground, is currently an 8/1 shot, and can be marked up for his run in the Craven where he wasn’t seen to best effect.

Demonstrating long term profit from betting on horses is found from being a contrarian and looking for angles less seen by others, whilst accepting missing the obvious more frequently (and I wouldn’t put anybody off backing either of the O’Brien pair).

However, and with that in mind, a horse that interests me at huge odds of 40/1 is Emaratty Ana from the Kevin Ryan stable. A late foal by the sire Shamadal (who was a Newmarket Group one winner himself). Emaratty Ana during a light 2 yo campaign showed his class winning the Group 2 Gimcrack at York over 6F, and I’m happy to forgive his subsequent fifth at Newmarket behind Ten Sovereigns. Sharmadal came into his own when he tackled a mile plus, and the dam also brings stamina to the fore. There is good reason to believe we may see a stronger, more developed, and altogether different horse now going over 1m and at 40/1 each way makes for an interesting bet at such huge odds.

Monday morning saw Godolphin supplement Al Hilalee for the race at a cost of £30,000, following a key racecourse gallop in Meydan that clearly impressed connections. A Derby entry this unbeaten son of Dubawi described by trainer Appleby as “a unit” who handled the undulations on the July course last season, he should feel right at home on the galloping Rowley Mile come Saturday. At odds of 16/1 the hint should be taken each way.

On Sunday the 1000 Guineas takes centre stage for the fillies with Qubala heading the market at 7/2. The favourite winner of the key trial The Nell Gwyn in taking style, drawing right away from a good field. The Roger Varian filly looks sure to go very well.

Skitter Scatter from the John Oxx stable who trained the imperious Sea The Stars to 2000 Guineas success 10 years ago, is expecting a big run from this Scat Daddy offspring. Strong market support over the last 48 hours into 6/1 second favourite only further adds to the confidence behind this filly and is an interesting selection.

Iridessa from the up and coming Joseph O’Brien stable looks very interesting based on her Group 1 Fillies mile win over course and distance last October. Her seasonal appearance on face value might be viewed as slightly disappointing, however the soft ground may well not have suited as well as the fast ground she’s shown her best form on so far. At current odds of 8/1 she makes fair each way value against rivals whose prices have contracted more over the past days.

For those looking for a lively outsider likely to outrun her odds then Star Terms from the Richard Hannon stable looks sure to be suited by this testing mile, a strong gallop, and should run well.

Selections:

Saturday Qipco 2000 Guineas
Emaratty Ana 40/1 each way
Al Hilalee 12/1 each way

Sunday Qipco 1000 Guineas
Iridessa 7/1 each way
Star Terms 25/1 each way

Have a great, profitable, and enjoyable Guineas weekend.

Follow Jamie Beighton on twitter @TheWineTipster1