Win & Place Contenders (Alphabetic order) =  Concertmaster, Dubai Princess, Hucking Harmony & Swindon Town Flyer

Midfield (4-6th region) = King Of Dalyan & Kylayne

The Rest (Garbage to midfield) = Baytown Blaze, Ben, In Decorum & Southwest Star.

•   Another new season and another new opening format but still one of the most exciting times of the racing year. The start of the 2yo season used to be Doncaster, on turf, with the Brocklesby conditions race on Thursday, the Bawtry seller on Friday and an Auction race (i.e. this race) at the Saturday Lincoln Meeting. In 2003 Lingfield put a 2yo race on it's Winter Derby card and became the first race of the season. Then Doncaster closed for rebuilding before the start of 2006 and the old format was gone. With Lingfield dropping the 2yo conditions race (which in terms of value-for-money and awarding good prizes to good performances is a positive thing) and Doncaster due to re-open later this year there's a chance that 2008 will see the old format back.
•   This is the first of the Race Previews and published on March 25th when the entries for the Auction race were known. The plan is that the Previews will be split into two parts with the 'Checkout' section above which will highlight angles to watch for during the season and a summary following. At the start of the season with only a few races this might look similar to the old format. However, if we project ourselves through to July, and there's 14 races on the day from early afternoon to late evening, 150+ horses declared. That's when the 'Checkout' section and targeted, shorter, summaries should enable the output to continue.
•   Looking through the entries for this race leaves a relatively positive feeling - there appears to be more competitive, early, 2yos than obvious garbage amongst the 17. Perhaps, with the anticipation that a new season brings the ability to be entirely objective and critical is a little less sharp but the trainers represented gives some support to the upside view. During the season we'll spend some time analysing the established trainers (Hannon, Channon, et al) so let's start by taking the theme for this early summary by looking at the newer, younger & progressing trainers with entries.
•   TJ Pitt started with a licence last year and made a big impact most notably with failed hurdler Les Arcs who developed from a 96 rated AW sprinter to a dual Group 1 winner. He only ran eight 2yos but a return of 3 winners of 5 races (1 at Listed level) and a near 24% strike rate is a very good start. That strike rate is one indicator of a trait he showed which was that the 2yos ran when they were ready to show their ability and compete well. His first 5 runners included the three winners along with the early placer Fast Freddie (debuted March 23rd, backed to 11/10f and a good second place). B2yoR would take this as a good sign that the filly Mystickhill is likely to be a ready type and well prepared. Given that she cost 5,000 guineas and has a 50s rated 2yo profile she doesn't have longer term prospects but a likely placer off a light weight (and early winner somewhere).
•   AB Haynes used to work for Richard Hannon and rented part of that trainer's facilities to start his career in 2004. He's moved to his own stables near Bath for the 2007 season. He has run 3 and 7 juveniles in the last two seasons with a single winner in each year. Nothing startling but worth noting that his winner each year made their debut by April 2nd and was either his first or second runner. Both of those winners (STO & 3TO) placed on debut at 12/1 and 16/1 so the slightly unfortunately named Swindon Town Flyer merits some consideration as a possible winner of some sort. He has an acceptable earlyish sprint pedigree being by first season sire Captain Rio out of a heavily built (in typical R. Hannon make-up) racemare who disappointed in not winning. Mr Haynes was presumably at Hannon's when the mare (Baltic Breeze) was there and it is typical for trainer's to go back to purchase yearlings where they know the 'family'. Another on the 'interesting early' list.
•   In the 2005 review of trainer's article B2yoR considered the rise of JS Moore at some length. After many years of toiling away getting commendable results with cheap and modest horses he seemed to be getting some better quality and shown he could handle these horses as well. The 2yo strike rate has gone up to 9% in 2005 and nearing 15% last year. In 2006 backed by 'Uplands Acquisitions' (Some combination of Fosroc, Mrs Hay, etc) he moved to the newly refurbished Uplands stables and (similar to EJ O'Neill) is now presiding over a high class facility for wealthy backers. 
•   When working with lesser horses the height of his early aspirations was to win the 'first worst race of the year' (the AW seller at Wolverhampton two days after the Brocklesby) with a 2yo he had already run at Doncaster and he still goes in for this 'win a seller STO' approach. However, he now has some better horses and in 2005-6 they have competed relatively well on debut and 6 of the 8 that have made March debuts have been winners. In those years he has managed a debut winner and several places although it's worth noting that some have needed many runs to finally win (a trait from his old status which has persisted).
•   He has entered two with Mythical Fosroc (the most expensive purchase in the field and with a US background) and the much cheaper Southwest Star. The second named has an unpromising pedigree for 5f and seems likely to be of the moderate type. Mythical Fosroc is owned by Fitri Hay (light green & pink colours) who has provided many of his better runners in recent seasons including those that have run well in Dubai over the winter. He debuted later Listed race winner Satulagi for the same owner (and with a similarly obscure US background) in March last year to finish third in a similar race. Definitely one to assess for potential. ['Fosroc' is presumably some product of his backers and his sheets often carry the word but the advertising hasn't quite worked yet because B2yoR has no idea what it is. A pint of Fosroc please?, perhaps you mow the lawn with it].
•   JR Best is another trainer with a progressive profile in terms of numbers of runners and reputation. However his strike rate with 2yos on turf has remained at a consistent level and below average. This is in part due to the way he employs two different strategies with his 2yos. He identifies and runs an 'Early Team' and he has a record of 10 winners from 17 runners to have made their debut between March and May. The very earliest debuts often compete well and show peak form STO. They often do no progress. Hucking Harmony looks to fit this model well and will probably need to be an early winner. He has a much more developmental approach with his 2yos that debut from June onwards. In the period 2003-6 only 2 of the 30 that after May have been winners during the turf season. The non-winners have included good horses like Kingsgate Prince and Hurricane Spirit. Think about that - you could pretty much ignore his 2yos unless they made debuts by May in that period because they were being set-up for winter AW campaigns or their 3yo seasons.
•   And finally a mention for Hugh Grant's lost brother - RM Beckett.  He's varied his approach as he has got himself established and if we go back to 2002 he had three debut winners by the end of April as part of getting his name better known. He's reached a position where he can go easier now and has become a good 2yo trainer with an above average strike rate. His pre-May runners are well chosen these days and in 2005-6 the 6 in this category included 5 solid winners plus the disappointing placer Don Peter. The six included one debut winner and three who made the first 4. Given that background the cheap Concertmaster is another with a sound profile to be a minor winner.
• All those interesting early 2yos without even getting to horses from the more established regulars with possibilities like Thunder Bay (one of Channon's 'Early Team' types), Mama Leo (Another Danjet?) & Dubai Princess (with her interesting pedigree). This Preview will be updated once the declarations are known and we'll consider what to expect from the race itself.