The Wine Tipster: Final day of the Guineas Festival

2:20 Newmarket – Dahlia Stakes Group 2 (1m 1f)

Elmalka (NAP), the winner of the 2024 1000 Guineas, can win a Group 2 on seasonal debut, and we know the Rowley Mile really suits her. After her classic success, she ran some good races in Group 1 company at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood ahead of returning to the Rowley Mile to finish fourth to Tamfana (who ran well at Sandown on seasonal debut) in the Sun Chariot Stakes, which was a smart run. Elmalka (NAP) has the course, ground, and trip in her favour and can take a good renewal of the Dahlia Stakes.

Unibet 2/1

2:55 Newmarket – Heritage Handicap (1m 6f)

Align The Stars,  marked up in my Unibet blog for the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh, never featured after a slow start. Then, after having to run wide to become more prominent, he never found a rhythm, so he was eased off in the last couple of furlongs. He had finished a close third on his previous start at Nottingham to Al Qareem, which is strong form. Align The Stars has never been a slow starter normally, and if he comes out of the gate smoothly, he will run a big race on fast ground that suits, while the yard is in much better form, too.

Unibet 7/1 each way

3.35 Newmarket – 1000 Guineas Stakes Group 1 (1m)

Desert Flower just gets the nod over Lake Victoria, who, like the selection, is unbeaten and top class. Desert Flower won all four of her starts during her juvenile campaign, including three successes at Newmarket, with two wins on the July course on quick ground and a victory on the Rowley Mile in the Fillies’ Mile in October.

Desert Flower beat January at Doncaster in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at the St Leger meeting by 1½ lengths and defeated January by 5½ lengths in the Fillies’ Mile when she made the field look like they were a different class to her with an emphatic performance.

The Fillies’ Mile is a key trial, and she has also shown in a recent racecourse gallop that she is in good form, so Desert Flower can take the 1000 Guineas in what will be an exciting 2025 for her.

Unibet 6/5

Elwateen, impeccably bred by Dubawi out of Tawke, won her maiden on the all-weather at Kempton last August when rallying well after being headed. Admittedly, the form hasn’t worked well, although the 2024 1000 Guineas winner Elmalka had the same story with her maiden success on her only juvenile start, though she did have a prep run ahead of the 1000 Guineas in the Fred Darling.

Despite Elwateen’s lack of experience in a second racecourse appearance, there was plenty to like about her attitude at Kempton, and this, coupled with her breeding, gives her each-way claims.

Unibet 20/1