Lend A Hand threw down the gauntlet to Xaar yesterday, to ease fears of a procession in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas. Opposition to the odds-on Classic favourite has been drying up since the French colt landed last week's Craven Stakes, with Desert Prince, Daring Derek, Gulland, Tamarisk and With The Flow all announced doubtful starters.
But Mark Johnston floored several better-fancied runners with Mister Baileys in the Newmarket showpiece four years ago. And the trainer has high hopes he could do the same again this year with Lend A Hand, who delighted in a preparatory gallop under Darryll Holland at Southwell yesterday morning.
His Group One winner, backed into 10-1 third favourite for the Guineas with William Hill after heavy support of late, finished clear of two stable-companions in the one-mile gallop on fibre-sand.
"The work went very well," Holland said. "We went a good, strong pace and the horse did it nicely. I was very pleased and his physical condition is A1 already.
"I think Mark has got a good record in the race and as far as the horse is concerned, he's very adaptable and goes about his business very professionally, so I'm hoping for a good run.
"Xaar has outstanding form, but so has this horse. He's a progressive horse and we've not got to the bottom of him yet," he added in an interview on The Racing Channel.
Johnston said: "We got him on his toes and that was the main purpose. He worked with Asset Manager and Equity Princess - who is a very good horse herself.
"So it is all systems go for Newmarket and I am quite hopeful. We think he is good enough, but there are two weeks to go and at the moment, life's about getting there without any further problems."
But Joe Mercer, racing manager to owner Maktoum Al Maktoum, was more bullish and forecast Lend A Hand will run "a very big race" in the Guineas.
"I'm not going to stick my neck out and say he will finish first or second, but he will run a big race," said Mercer.
Lend A Hand, unraced since last October, is treading the same path as Johnston's Mister Baileys and Bijou d'Inde, who finished first and third respectively in the Guineas on their reappearance in 1994 and 1996.
He was ridden by Jason Weaver in all his starts last year, when he graduated from victories at Epsom, Catterick, Beverley, Doncaster to land the Group One Gran Criterium at San Siro by seven-and-a-half lengths.
Sagitta 2000 Guineas - William Hill betting: 8-11 Xaar (4-5), 4-1 King of Kings, 10-1 Lend A Hand, 16-1 Central Park, Fleetwood, 201 Haami, 25-1 Almutawakel, Daggers Drawn, Zaya, 33-1 bar.
