Paul Mulrennan Column: Angel can fly in 1000 Guineas
By Paul Mulrennan
Last Updated: Sat 4 May 2024
Leading jockey and Racing TV ambassador Paul Mulrenan gives us the inside track on his Saturday rides, his views on the first Classics of the season plus gives us a first horse for his Weekly Watchlist.
QIPCO 1000 Guineas: Angel appeals
Fallen Angel can strike for the North (focusonracing.com)
I believe that it could be a good weekend for the North, with Karl Burke’s Fallen Angel my pick for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
My wife Adele has been over there riding out, also profiling the Burke string for ITV Racing, and she says that the horses are all in great shape.
Karl has spoken quite openly in the press about his high hopes for Fallen Angel. You can see a glint in his eye whenever he discusses his Moyglare Stud Stakes winner.
As an each-way alternative, it could be worth considering Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna (20-1).
She was a sharp juvenile, winning the Albany Stakes, and has that all important Newmarket experience.
Although her Cheveley Park win was over six furlongs, she seemed to cope with the step up to a mile when runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
New for 2024: The Weekly Watchlist
Francisco’s Piece (Adrian Keatley)
I rode a nice two-year-old at Pontefract on Wednesday. I was suitably impressed with Adrian Keatley’s Francisco’s Piece, who did everything right when winning the five-furlong maiden.
He’s a fine big strong horse with a lovely attitude. He quickened up nicely in bad old ground and, with the promise of further improvement to come, I think he’ll develop into a nice horse later in the season.
Adrian, a Classic-winning trainer, has him entered up in the Super Sprint (Newbury), a valuable sales race at Doncaster, and in Redcar’s Two-Year-Old Trophy.
Fixture Clash Frustrations
The Flat season has clicked into gear, even though it was more than a touch frustrating to see Ayr, Redcar and Doncaster all competing for space on Thursday.
Friday’s Musselburgh and Newcastle clash doesn’t make a great deal of sense either, given that we are particularly light fixtures wise in the North next week. Having said all of that, April was a solid enough month personally. I took 62 rides and managed to sneak a few winners along the way.
Northern Express to run ‘a massive race’ at Thirsk
I’m at Thirsk on Saturday for six rides, with Northern Express (2.40pm) defending his crown in the feature Vickers.Bet Thirsk Hunt Cup.
I missed the ride last year – being at Newmarket to partner Azure Blue – but I’m looking forward to taking the mount again in a race which has been kind to me over the years. Blue Spinnaker (2004) was responsible for kickstarting my riding career, and I also enjoyed success on Redarna in 2022.
Northern Express ran well on seasonal reappearance at Newmarket and, as I said the other week, this race was always the plan. I’m happy with his draw (in stall nine), so I expect him to run a massive race.
Mythical Phoenix (2.10pm) makes his handicap debut from an opening mark of 80. Previously trained in Ireland by John McConnell, this Bellewstown maiden winner has since joined Julie Camacho for 38,000gns.
Rockymountainway (3.50pm) looks a nice ride in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden. Owned by Lady Bamford, and trained by Charlie Fellowes, she took a fair step forward when placed in a Kempton novice. Her dam, The Wagon Wheel, was a Listed-placed 5f-6f winner and she is in exactly the right type of race for her turf debut.
My other rides are Tinto (3.15pm), First Dynasty (4.20pm), and Haarar (4.55pm).
Haraar won twice on the Flat during his time with Michael Bell. He hasn’t been with the Guiseley trainer Sam England for all that long but did manage to finish second in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter last week.
QIPCO 2000 Guineas: Inisherin has place claims
City Of Troy was a star juvenile (Healy Racing)
If you could pick anything to ride, it would have to be City Of Troy.
Aidan O’Brien’s Justify colt was a star juvenile, winning the Dewhurst Stakes with consummate ease.
For anyone seeking a less obvious alternative, I’d nominate Inisherin at around the 50-1 mark.
Kevin Ryan’s charge looked a decent prospect when winning his novice at Newcastle, and that form was given a handsome boost by the runner-up Kalpana (a ten-length winner) at the Craven meeting.
The Guineas represents a significant step up in grade for Inisherin, but his odds do reflect that fact, and we shouldn’t forget that Kevin was responsible for saddling the 125-1 runner-up (Hi Royal) last year.
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