Storm Striving For Craven Success

Striving Storm will bid to book his Classic ticket when he makes his seasonal bow in the banshahousestables.com Craven Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow.

Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt won one of his four starts last term, putting in a career-best performance when third behind the highly-rated pair of Dijeerr and Mythical Kid on his final start of the season in the Horris Hill Stakes.

Chapple-Hyam reports the son of Stormin Fever to have improved through the winter, but admits he would have preferred slightly easier ground for tomorrow's mile test.

'I've been pleased with his work this spring and he has improved from two to three,' said the Newmarket handler.

'The Craven will hopefully be a stepping stone towards the German 2000 Guineas and, further down the line, the French Derby.

'Perhaps we would have liked the ground to have been a little bit easier but you can't have everything!' he told www.peterchapplehyam.com.

However, the traditional 2000 Guineas trial lost much of its lustre when Brave Tin Soldier was ruled out.

Aidan O'Brien's charge was one of the leading contenders after winning a Curragh Listed race last term before disappointing when only fifth in the Middle Park Stakes.

Brave Tin Soldier will not bid to atone for that defeat tomorrow though, with a bruised foot the reported reason for his absence.

Thousand Words, winner of the Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket last September, bids to stake his Classic claims.

'He's done well over the winter and has been working nicely,' said trainer Barry Hills' son and assistant Charles.

'I think he'll come on for the run whatever happens. He looks well and we are very pleased with him.

'The ground should be fine. He's a good-actioned horse and it should be lovely ground I'd have thought.'

Thousand Words, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah, is generally available at 33-1 for the Stan James 2000 Guineas back over the Rowley Mile, on May 5.

William Muir is hoping Big Robert can prove up to the task and book his place in the 2000 Guineas.

'He's wintered very well and is in good form. It's a good race but he's a tough horse,' said Muir.

'His form is solid and it's always been the plan to start off the campaign in the Craven as long as he wintered well.

'We'll see what happens tomorrow and if he runs well we'll carry on for the Guineas, but if he gets hammered we'll go somewhere else. I'm sure he'll run a nice race though and he's a nice horse.'

Big Robert, a 66-1 chance for the colts' Classic, ended last season finishing fifth to Thousand Words when favourite for the Somerville Tattersall Stakes.

(C) PA Sport