Newmarket moves to avoid split repeat

Newmarket has announced changes to the course layout for the Qipco Guineas Festival, with the stalls for the first two Classics of the season set to be on the stands rail rather than the centre of the track.

The fixture, which takes place on May 2 and 3, will also see the introduction of a false rail three metres off the permanent stands side rail which will cut in at the three-furlong pole.

This narrowing of the course means the maximum field size will be lowered to 25 in comparison to 30 last year, although there has not been a race with over 25 declared runners in the last five years at the meeting.