Qatar Racing enters five in Newmarket Classics

Qatar Racing are responsible for three of the 69 entries for the Gr. 1 Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday 5 May.

First and foremost is the Gr. 2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner Roaring Lion who holds an official rating of 118 and is a best-priced 10/1 for the first Classic of 2018.

Roaring Lion improved again when a neck second in the Gr. 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on his final start and must hold realistic claims of reversing the form with his conqueror, Saxon Warrior, who is vying for Guineas favouritism with his stablemates Gustav Klimt and U S Navy Flag.

Also from the John Gosden yard which is yet to win the 2,000 Guineas but went close with Kingman in 2014 is Kings Shield who cost 675,000 guineas as the breeze-ups and made a smooth winning debut at Newcastle last November.

Gosden's outstanding dual Classic winner Enable made her successful start at the same track as a two-year-old, and it's hoped that Kings Shield can prove himself a genuine Guineas contender in a trial.

Completing the Qatar Racing trio is Raid who pulled clear of two next-time-out winners when getting off the mark at the first time of asking at Doncaster in November.

Hopefully Raid cane become David Simcock's first runner in the 2,000 Guineas.

Raid is from the first crop of Qatar Racing's exciting young sire Havana Gold, who also has recent Listed Spring Cup winner Headway and highly regarded Leicester debut winner Tabdeed among the entries.

The 64 entries for the Gr. 1 Qipco 1,000 Guineas include Worship, also by Havana Gold and trained by David Simcock, and Natural.

Worship is a 50/1-shot for the second Classic in a market headed by Clemmie, but she has done nothing wrong so far in winning her only start at Kempton. The second and third from that race have won five races between them since and Worship is likely to put her credentials on the line in a Guineas trial.

Natural looked something out of the ordinary when making a winning debut at Doncaster last June and, while a Listed place from three subsequent starts was a little underwhelming, she remains with potential. She should be suited by seven furlongs and we're hopeful she will go close in a trial for Richard Hannon.