Gosden Set To Be Represented In Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes

Newmarket trainer John Gosden is considering his options for Infallible and Michita in the £50,000 Group Three Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes (3.45pm), run over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Wednesday, April 16, the first day of the Craven Meeting.

Clarehaven Stables-based Gosden is aiming to get a run into his stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas entry Infallible, who was an impressive winner on her only start in the seven-furlong bet365 EBF Maiden Fillies´ Stakes at Newmarket on November 3.

Gosden revealed today at a stable visit organised by Newmarket Racecourses and StanJamesUK: "Infallible will be given entries in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes and the Fred Darling at Newbury. We will just watch the ground with her because she just likes to get her toe in.

"Her coat is quite thick at the moment, but it´s very healthy and she is very happy in herself. Jimmy (Fortune) worked her yesterday and was very pleased with her. She will run in a trial and is in good order."

Gosden could also run Michita in Wednesday´s feature race. The three-year-old filly was also victorious on her only previous start, in a mile maiden at Yarmouth on October 23.

He continued: "I have also given Michita an entry in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, but the Listed stanjamesuk.com Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 4 would be her main aim. She´s a big, galloping type and I think (in time) she will stay a mile-and-a-half. She outstayed them over a mile in the mud at Yarmouth last backend."

Paul Blockley hopes that Lady Deauville will run a big race in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, en route to a possible tilt at the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas.

The three-year-old filly was a Listed winner over seven furlongs at Newbury in October and rounded off her season with a good victory in the Listed Prix Zeddann at Fontainebleau on November 20.

Blockley commented: "Lady Deauville has been entered in the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, and she will take her chance providing the ground is not too fast. I´d like her to get a good toe in, but good ground will be all right. She will also be entered at Newbury next week, but I would prefer to let her get a feel of Newmarket anyway.

"She finished three-quarters of a length second to Muthabara on her second start in a Listed race at Sandown, so that´s not bad form. Her Listed win at Newbury, where she beat the seriousquitters.co.uk Rockfel Stakes runner-up Missit, was another good run.

"We took her to France because, being a French-bred, she gets the extra prize money and she really enjoyed the soft ground out there. She wintered well and I am very happy with her.

"I´m still living the dream with her and hope she will prove to be a good Group horse this year. She wants a mile and we´ll have to see about her stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas entry after she races next week, but it´s the plan at the moment."

A total of 24 fillies have been entered for the Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes, including John Dunlop´s Listed winner Muthabara, who jointly heads the market at 5/1 with the sponsors for the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas.

The West Sussex-based trainer, successful in this race 12 months ago with Scarlet Runner, has also engaged Festivale, who finished a staying on fifth behind fellow entry Spinning Lucy in the six-furlong Listed EBF Bosra Sham Fillies´ Stakes at Newmarket on November 2.

Spinning Lucy´s trainer Barry Hills has also entered Royal Confidence, who finished a close third on her latest start in the Group Two seriousquitters.co.uk Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on October 20, and fellow Lambourn-based handler Marcus Tregoning could run Shabiba, who was successful on her previous outing in the EBF Grand Prix White St Moritz Maiden at Newmarket on October 4.

Marco Botti has entered Raymi Coya, who was a good winner of the Group Three Finnforest Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket on October 6, while Mick Channon could rely on Royal Ascot scorer Nijoom Dubai.

The £30,000 Listed European Free Handicap (3.10pm), run over seven furlongs, has attracted an entry of 19, including the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Confront, who was an easy winner of an Ascot maiden in October and is a 16/1 chance for the stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas. Paul Cole has engaged Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes fifth Luck Money and River Proud, who was a game winner of the Group Three Somerville Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket on October 5.

Brian Meehan has engaged £250,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes scorer Exclamation, while Barry Hills could run Royal Confidence, Yankadi or Nacho Libre, who finished third to River Proud at Newmarket in October.