Muthabara still backward in coat for Newmarket Connections of Muthabara expect the filly to still look a little backward in her coat in Sunday´s stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. The John Dunlop-trained filly is a top-priced 9-2 third favourite after making a successful reappearance at Newbury to stretch her 100 per cent record to three. "We were pleased with the last furlong at Newbury anyway and the extra furlong on Sunday would certainly be in her favour," said Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. "Any ease in the ground would not be a problem as she obviously handles it better than some. "I was away for the Newbury race but there were comments that she looked so woolly and backward in her coat. "She is still fairly backward in her coat so I´m sure she will improve as the year goes on. "It´s been a tricky spring for everybody with the sudden cold spell around the beginning of April. We can´t change her appearance, she´s going to look a bit backward and that´s it." Gold has every respect for the opposition and believes the 1000 Guineas will be a tough race to win. "Natagora is top class and John Gosden´s filly (Infallible) looked fantastically impressive at Newmarket," he added. "Then there´s Spacious and the others. Our filly will have to be at the top of her game but she deserves to take her chance." Connections of Infallible are confident she will get the trip as she steps up to a mile for the first time on Sunday. John Gosden´s filly was a hugely impressive winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes on her seasonal reappearance and Chris Richardson, racing manager to owners the Cheveley Park Stud, believes there is even more improvement in her. "Jimmy (Fortune) was mightily impressed with her in the Nell Gwyn and at this stage we really don´t know too much about her as no real buttons have been pushed yet," said Richardson. "She is quite speedily bred but I think she will stay and all will be revealed on Sunday. "The nice thing about her is that she has a wonderful temperament, she settles well in her races and takes everything in her stride. "So while there is a slight question mark about whether she will get the trip, her impressive win in the Nell Gwyn suggests she will," Richardson told At The Races. Cheveley Park have a second string to their bow as the James Fanshawe-trained Spacious, who was last seen winning the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last September, is also set to take her chance. Richardson added: "She won really well that day and she seems to have a lovely stride on her and covers plenty of ground. "She has strengthened up significantly over the winter and looks really good in her coat. While Infallible would like some cut in the ground, this filly would like it fast." Mick Channon gave Nahoodh the go-ahead to tackle the Classic after getting the better of fellow Guineas hope Nijoom Dubai on Tuesday morning. Channon said: "I was delighted with the work and Nahoodh is set to run at Newmarket on Sunday. "She´s come on well since the Fred Darling but I´m still very worried about soft ground. All it did here this morning was rain." Of Nijoom Dubai, the trainer added: "I was pleased with her. We haven´t made a final decision on the Guineas and she could wait for France."
