Marcus Tregoning weighs up Classic hopes

Marcus Tregoning is keeping a close eye on the weather as he prepares to unleash his Classic hopefuls.

The Lambourn trainer is set to run 2,000 Guineas hope Finjaan in Saturday's Greenham Stakes at Newbury, but says if the ground is unsuitable he may head straight to Newmarket on 2 May.

A winner of Goodwood's Group 3 Molcomb Stakes in July, the Royal Applause colt was touched off by Intense Focus and Lord Shanakill in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on the Rowley Mile in October and has yet to win beyond five furlongs.

But Tregoning is optimistic Finjaan will get the Classic mile. He said: "He is one of our big early-season chances and hopefully he'll be good enough for the Guineas.

"Ground permitting, he will run in the Greenham. If it is good to soft it is fine, good ground would be even better, but if the ground deteriorates massively, we might just go straight to the Guineas.

"He got seven furlongs well last season and he has settled well this year, but we've got the option of dropping back in trip."

Tregoning, who saddled Sir Percy to win the Derby in 2006, is hoping that Taameer can follow a similiar path. The son of Beat Hollow finished a highly promising length and a half behind Kite Wood in Ascot's Autumn Stakes last time out.

Tregoning said: "The likelihood is that Taameer will go to Sandown for the Classic Trial on Saturday week. He's a middle-distance horse, so you'd hope that the Derby would be on the agenda."