Poteen fails to sparkle in trial

POTEEN struggled to enhance his 2,000 Guineas claims when scrambling to a neck victory on his comeback at Newmarket yesterday. A 1 to 3 chance to uphold his Group One form of last year, he narrowly denied Za-Im in a desperate sprint over the last two furlongs of the NGK Spark Plugs Conditions Stakes in a time nearly two seconds slower than the earlier Nell Gwyn Stakes.

The performance made little impact on the big race betting with his odds remaining unchanged at 14 to 1, behind 7 to 2 favourite Shamikh, for the colts' Classic. And winning jockey Pat Eddery, who has also been linked with 12 to 1 hope Musical Pursuit, has still to confirm his Guineas mount.

But Poteen's trainer Luca Cumani was more than satisfied because the colt is still some way short of match fitness. It was a very slow run race which developed into a two furlong sprint. Pat Eddery was very happy and I was happy because he is a good two weeks from being at the fitness level I want," said Cumani. "I can now give him two more gallops between now and the Guineas. He's very laid back and doesn't get excited about anything and on the hard ground I have not been able to push him.

"He shows the same promise at the same stages of their careers as Barathea and Markofdistinction. They went on to do jolly well and I'd like to see him do the same."

Reunion will attempt to claim a first Classic victory for trainer John Hills after earning a crack at the Pertemps 1,000 Guineas with a win in the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes.

She claimed the first recognised Classic trial of the new turf season with the one length defeat of the ex-Canadian favourite Oh Nellie, with Elegant Warning, rated only 6lb behind Pas de Reponse, back in third.

The filly's big race odds tumbled from around 40 to 1 to a best-priced 20 to 1 with the Tote, 16 to 1 with Ladbrokes and 14 to 1 with William Hill.

But she made no impression on the market leader Sleepytime, available at 11 to 4, who makes her seasonal debut in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury on Friday.

Sleepytime missed her work last week when several of the Henry Cecil string were feared to be under the weather, but she was back on the gallops yesterday morning to emphatically prove her well-being.