Terms delights in home gallop

Dual Group Two winner Best Terms came through her first serious gallop of 2012 with flying colours.

The Queen Mary and Lowther Stakes winner was ridden by trainer Richard Hannon‘s stable jockey Richard Hughes in the seven-furlong spin with Misdemeanour and Cresta Star on Tuesday.

“That was good – she settled and she wanted to do it for me,” Hughes told richardhannonracing.com.

Richard Hannon jnr was equally bullish, saying: “That was the first piece of fast work that Best Terms has done this year, and we could not have been happier.

“Misdemeanour has won both her races so far and is an 85-rated filly, so you had to be impressed, and it is always a relief when they look to have trained on.”

Best Terms is a top-priced 25-1 for the Qipco 1000 Guineas and connections know there is no guarantee she will stay the mile.

Will Edmeades, racing manager to owners the Barnett family, said: “Obviously, the fact that she is so exuberant in her races throws up concerns as to how long her stamina will last, but she settled better this morning and if she does switch-off there must be a chance.

“We will see how she progresses over the next three weeks, but I would not be averse in going straight for the Guineas. Eight of the last 11 winners have gone to Newmarket without a prep-race, and I would not be fussed about taking in the Fred Darling route.

“It is a case of so far, so good, and the dream is still very much alive, and we have nothing to lose by testing Best Terms‘ stamina early on as there are very few opportunities for three-year-old sprinters in the first half of the season.

“You would not be wanting to take on the older speedballs in the Palace House Stakes at the Guineas meeting, so we might as well go the Classic route and if that fails, we can come back in distance at Royal Ascot and take on the mighty Black Caviar in the Golden Jubilee. Now that should be fun!”