The Craven Stakes used to be one of the best trials for the 2000 Guineas, and, while fashions have changed and the norm is now to head straight for the classic without a prep-run, NATIVE KHAN reminded Frankel fans that there is no such thing as a walk-over (unless you are in a below tariff race) when sailing through his dress rehearsal on his home course on Thursday.
Native Khan, whose only defeat last year came on soft ground at Doncaster, revelled on the fast going and made short work of last year's Richmond and July Stakes winner Libranno, scoring with some authority by two lengths.
Kieren Fallon, who will not be able to ride Native Khan in the Guineas unless he wins his 10-day appeal against a Kempton suspension, was impressed with Ibrahim Araci's grey colt and recommended to Ed that he take his chance in the big one.
However, Ed also has the French Guineas as an option and will leave it until next week before deciding whether to stay at home or head to Longchamp.
He said:"Native Khan was only 85% ready and will improve a lot. The original plan was to go straight for a Guineas, but he came to himself earlier than we expected and with the ground abnormally fast for this time of the year we opted to take in the Craven."
"It was trainer error that got him beat in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. We dropped him out too far in soft ground and I ought not to have run him. Instead, I should have taken on Frankel in the Dewhurst. He is such a terrific mover that the ground is the key to him, but I was impressed how well he coped with the hill at Newmarket, and, while I will talk to the owners - and, being French-bred, Longchamp has obvious appeal - if he were mine I would go for our Guineas."