The Brigadier

Welcome to the Forum @brahmin -good luck with your bets today

It’s Derby day and the ITV cameras are showing all eight races from an intriguing card from Epsom where following extensive watering throughout the week the ground should be riding perfect with the official report reading as good. I’ve some strong fancies in the last three handicaps today so here’s my racing tips to beat the bookies. Epsom 12:50 The day kicks off with the Group 3 Betfred Diomed Stakes run over 1M 113 yards. The one to beat has to be the Godolphin horse Highland Avenue. He’s been a talented horse over the years and it’s his latest effort which makes him a stand out here. He appeared to be used as a pacemaker for the re-appearing 2021 Derby winner Adayar at Newmarket in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes last month keeping on well to finish third to his stablemate beaten 3L, just 1/2L behind the runner up Anmaat with Sir Michael Stoute’s Regal Reality some 11L further back in fourth. Anmaat was out last week in France winning a Group 1 and that looks a good piece of form, certainly better than anything his opponents have mustered in recent times. Handicap ratings have David O’Meara’s Escobar only a pound behind the favourite but he’s best in big field handicaps and was soundly beaten in this contest last season. Imperial Fighter is out of form and Marie’s Diamond has a stone to find with Highland Avenue whilst the only three year old in the field Kolsai maybe the one to chase Highland Avenue home. The only negative against the favourite is the stable form of Charlie Appleby who (upto racing on Thursday) had had just 4 winners from his last 32 runners which by his standards is pretty poor. HIGHLAND AVENUE 1 point win @ 5/4 BetVictor Epsom 13:30 This year’s Derby is run earlier than normal due to avoiding a clash with the FA Cup Final and let’s hope there’s no issues with the Animal Rising hooligans who are planning to disrupt the great race. Run over 1M 4F we have a stellar field of 14 for this year’s renewal. Aidan O’Brien struck top form last weekend when winning with Guineas disappointment Little Big Bear and Paddington in the Irish 2000 Guineas and will be hoping that Auguste Rodin can also bounce back from his flop in the 2000 Guineas. He obviously could but at the current prices he’s impossible to put up after his lack lustre effort there for whatever reason. The Dante at York is always the best trial in my opinion and the best of the three that ran that day may well be Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger. On a day in which Richard Kingscote would like to forget (Astro King anyone!) he constantly ran in to trouble and was flying when finally extracted to finish third to the winner The Foxes beaten only 1 1/2L. Would he have won? It’s hard to tell but that was only his second ever start and improvement is highly likely here stepping up a furlong and a half. He was supplemented for this at the cost of £85,000 and is on the short list for the team that took the race last year. Charlie Appleby’s Military Order, as a full brother to the 2021 winner Adayar, has to be respected. He’s done more coming into the race than his brother did when winning this a couple of years ago with the only negative for me the form of the stable who just aren’t firing on all cylinders. Arrest would be a fairytale result for Frankie Dettori riding in his last Epsom Derby before retirement and that is a distinct possibility although he could have done with easier ground. If you like Arrest then surely it’s worth backing Charlie Johnstone’s Dubai Mile who beat him at Saint Cloud last Autumn over 10F and had an ideal prep for this when running a credible 5th in the 2000 Guineas. It’s baffling that he’s twice the price of Arrest and has to be part of the staking plan along with Passenger. An intriguing race , as always, let the best horse win. PASSENGER 1 point each way @ 6/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234 DUBAI MILE 1 point each way @ 16/1 Betfred 1/5th 1234 Epsom 14:10 Just the six go to post for the 1M 113 yards Princess Elizabeth Stakes, a Group 3 contest for fillies and mares only. Sir Michael Stoute’s Potapova ran second in this last year but her latest run and re-appearance was blighted by an irregular heartbeat with Ryan Moore pulling her up at Goodwood. It’s hard to fancy her after that effort. Half a length behind Potapova last year was the Archie Watson trainer Roman Mist who ran out a good winner of the listed contest at Goodwood that Potapova pulled up in a month ago on heavy ground. This looks tougher mind and has 11lb to find with favourite and most likely winner Prosperous Voyage. Ralph Beckett’s four year old Prosperous Voyage, a winner here as a two year old, kept top company last season finishing runner up in the 1000 Guineas and causing an upset in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting when defeating Inspiral at 16/1. The ground was probably against her on her re-appearance when only 5th of 9 in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on soft ground and back on a sounder surface and dropped in class looks the one they all have to beat. Ed Walker’s Random Harvest has to shoulder a 3lb penalty which will make this tough for her whilst the ground surely isn’t soft enough for Pam Sly’s flag bearer Astral Beau. The Gosden’s Shaara hated the ground last time and has featured promisingly in gallop reports since, she might be the one to outrun her odds and chase the favourite home. PROSPEROUS VOYAGE 2 points win @ 7/4 BetVictor Epsom 14:45 A new race for the card is the class 3 three years only 5F ‘Dash’ handicap with fourteen declared for this inaugural contest. There’s plenty of horses with chances here including Salisbury one-two Estate and Betweenthesticks from a week ago and there shouldn’t be much between that pair at the revised terms although that was a class 5 handicap and this looks tougher especially now they have both been re-assessed. The one I like here is the John Quinn trained Jm Jungle who stepped up his form when tackling fast ground for the first time this season when runner up at York in a competitive class 3 handicap a fortnight ago with Miss Brazen and Tatterstall back in 6th and 7th respectively. He’s been raised 4lb for that fine effort and with his trainer doing so well at this track looks the one to be on here with Jason Hart on board. The interesting one in the field is the Roger Varian trained Russet Gold who we haven’t seen since last October having being gelded since. With Harry Davies, who still claims 3lb, on top booked he’s one to watch carefully in the betting. JM JUNGLE 1 point each way @ 6/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234 Epsom 15:20 The traditional Derby day cavalry charge is up next with twenty speedsters declared for the class 2 Dash Handicap run over 5F with the downhill track on fast ground likely to produce a real spectacle and a very fast time. Last year’s runner up Mountain Peak is one of two Ed Walker runners here (the other being Came From The Dark who would prefer easier ground) and can run well despite his poor effort last time out at York ( a track he’s never run that well at). Clarendon House is another with claims having had excuses for his latest effort when a fine 5th at York losing a shoe during the race. Also there with a chance are the consistent Lihou, trained by sprint specialist David Evans and ridden by Hollie Doyle who can turn the tables on his recent conqueror Angle Land on 4lb better terms for 3/4L. David & Nicola Barron’s Zarzyni is also on my short list having dropped to a mark 5lb lower than his last winning one and wasn’t disgraced at York last week. The draw has seen winners coming from all across the track so I’m not getting bogged down with that and I will look for the best horse. Hopefully that might be Ian Williams’s Mokaatil whose form figures at this specialist track reads 41110 which includes victory in this very race in 2021 and a credible 4th last year. His jockey is the Irish Sean D Bowen (not to be confused with the jump jockey!) who is a new name to me but has won on 13 of his 272 mounts in his native country and gets to claim the full allowance of 7lb here which puts Mokaatil on a mark of 78 which is 4lb less than his win two years ago and 9lb less than last year’s 4th. With the cobwebs blown away with a run at Newmarket 7 weeks ago on unsuitable easy ground he looks sure to run well in a wide open sprint handicap. MOKAATIL 1 point each way @ 12/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456 Epsom 15:55 A maximum field of 14 go to post for this class 2 10F Betfred Lester Piggott Handicap for three year olds only for which I think there’s a decent each way bet. Ralph Beckett’s Balance Play looks thrown in on his handicap debut here off of 81 having finished runner up to the subsequent winner Quddwah at Salisbury a month ago. The winner has won again since and is now rated 95 whilst the third that day Greek Order has also won since and is now rated 85. Nicely drawn in stall 6 this 280,000 guineas yearling by Lope De Vega will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni and looks excellent each way value with firms paying an extra place. As one would expect in a race of this nature there are plenty of dangers lurking including Charlie Hills’ Lose Your Wad who, like the selection, is also making his handicap debut with his form already working out well and with a future Group entry at Royal Ascot further enhancing his claims. John and Thady Gosden saddle a brace of runners with Torito (handicap debut) preferred from soft ground Ascot winner Maasai Mara whilst the Sir Michael Stoute runner Fox Journey is going the right way having won at Newmarket last time but now is 9lb higher in the handicap. Balance Play is a confident each way bet. BALANCE PLAY 1 1/2 points each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Epsom 16:30 Only 9 have declared for this 1M 4F class 2 handicap. Max Mayhem was a winner on his stable debut for Kevin Philippart De Foy in the valuable Roseberry Handicap at Kempton on the all weather in April and off of just a 4lb higher mark has definite claims today. Scampi was a 16/1 winner for Hayley Turner and Andrew Balding at York last time but is now upped 6lb and has to race off of his highest ever handicap mark. Sir Mark Prescott has his string in excellent form currently and his representative Sea King sporting first time cheek pieces is another with claims but this can go to the David Menuisier trained Caius Chorister who racked up a five timer last summer including two course and distance wins on fast ground bringing her track form figures to 112. She ran well on ground that may not have suited on her re-appearance in the City And Suburban Handicap here over a trip on the short side when runner up to Bad Company and one would think this race has been the target since especially with Ryan Moore booked. Her future entry in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot later in the month may not be too much of a pipe dream where she to win here off of 99 and is a strong fancy. CAIUS CHORISTER 2 points win @ 3/1 bet365 Epsom 17:05 The day finishes with a class 2 6F handicap with another maximum field of 14 going to post. Jennie Candlish’s Probe won nicely at Newmarket a month ago with Apollo One back in fourth (7lb better off here for 3 1/2L) and even with a 7lb rise can be competitive from a favourable draw in 4 whilst Hughie Morrison’s Haymaker comes here having won at Windsor 12 days ago and has to race off of a 4lb higher handicap mark today. Robert Eddery has his small string in decent form and saddles his Spring Bloom here who was last seen winning at Newmarket a fortnight ago and a 4lb rise my not stop him being competitive. The horse I’m keen on though is last year’s victor Mr Wagyu who has a remarkable record in June and July of 15 wins from 30 starts for a level £1 stakes profit at SP of £69.35 (with 10 other times hitting the frame as well) as opposed to his record outside of those months which reads 0 from 43. John Quinn’s eight year came out of stall 12 last year when winning so hopefully a wide draw of 11 won’t be too much of a hinderance. His latest run at York when 7th to Bielsa proved he’s on the way back and off of a handicap mark only 2lb higher than last years win can further his fantastic summer record under regular rider Jason Hart. MR WAGYU 1 point each way @ 5/1 Paddy Power 1/5th 1234 All odds accurate at time of writing.

The first of two cracking days racing at Epsom with two Group Ones on todays card with the Oaks set to be run at 16:30 (as long as those pesky Animal Rising idiots don’t have a say) and the Coronation Cup at 15:10. The ITV cameras are there for the first five races with the ground likely to ride good although the course has been very well watered in the last week. Epsom 14:00 We start the two day Derby fixture with the 6F Woodcote Stakes for two year olds. With the race on the turning track it’s advantageous to be drawn low although a look back to last year’s race shows you can be competitive from a high draw. Richard Hannon has a solid record in this race and saddles two interesting runners in Haatem who impressed when winning at Bath last time and can be competitive although my preference is for The Camden Colt who will be ridden by Ryan Moore. He made all when winning at Haydock on fast ground eight days ago and if he can get over from stall 7 appears to hold every chance. The form of both Balon D’Or and Bobsleigh has been let down whilst Yorkshire Terrier would have been high on my shortlist but for his draw position of 12 of 12. He’s made all to win two all weather races and with Oisin Murphy on top can run well if overcoming that coffin box. I wouldn’t be shocked if Craig Lidster’s, who is an under rated trainer, Land Lover runs very well from stall 1. He wasn’t disgraced when 4th (beaten 4 1/2L) on his racecourse debut at York in a £15k race and with improvement likely and a nice draw is worth a small each way saver with the main bet being The Camden Colt under Ryan Moore. THE CAMDEN COLT 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 LAND LOVER 1/2 point each way @ 12/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Epsom 14:35 A competitive 13 runner 1M 113 yard class 2 handicap is up next with the David O’Meara trained Rhoscolyn, owned by The Horse Watchers a very interesting contender. He’s been dropped another couple of pounds putting him 8lb lower than when running third at Royal Ascot last year and showed enough last time out to suggest his time is near. The George Boughey trained All The Kings Men is tried in first time blinkers and going up in trip which may well suit this William Buick ridden five year old. Charlie Johnstone saddles two with claims in Dutch Decoy (ridden by Neil Callan) who’s dropped below his last winning mark and Austrian Theory (Joe Fanning) who’s also dropped to a winning mark and showed enough last time to suggest he can run well. His latest win came at Hamilton a year ago when defeating Ghaly (who’s won both his races since and is now 13lb higher) and can go close. The ground isn’t soft enough for Hodler whilst top weight Revich who comes here following a recent win at Chester was runner up in this race last year but is up 6lb for Chester which puts him on his highest ever handicap mark. He should run well none the less. A tricky race which I’ve narrowed down to Rhoscolyn and Austrian Theory with the latter having the call. AUSTRIAN THEORY 1 point each way @ 9/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Epsom 15:10 A cracking renewal of the Group 1 Coronation Cup run over the Derby distance of 1M 4F and featuring four Group one winners with the odd one out the Aidan O’Brien trained Point Lonsdale who arrives in top,form having won both of his starts since a break including last time out at Chester in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes who can’t be dismissed either. John and Thady Gosden’s smart filly Emily Upjohn makes her re-appearance after apparently coming to hand slowly. She was an unlucky loser of last years Oaks on this day and ended last season winning the Group 1 Champion Fillies & mares at Ascot. She’s smart and can be competitive as long as she doesn’t pull too hard. Last year’s Derby 3rd (and possibly unlucky not to get closer having had a poor run in the race) and Irish Derby winner Westover is the most likely winner to my eyes and certainly wasn’t disgraced when runner up to the very smart Equinox in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March. Ralph Beckett’s four year old will be ridden by Rob Hornby who will feel he has unfinished business after last year’s unlucky passage in the Derby and can take the spoils. Charlie Appleby’s Hurricane Lane shouldn’t be dismissed as a classic winner (St Leger from 2021) and impressed last time when bouncing back from a poor run at Newbury but I must admit I am a bit concerned with the form of some of the stable who certainly aren’t firing on all cylinders with just the 4 winners from their last 33 runners going into Thursday. The fifth member of the field is the German trained Tunnes who was a very easy winner of the German St Leger and a Group 1 last Autumn by 8L and 10L respectively although both wins came on very soft ground so for that reason alone is passed over here on today’s sounder surface. WESTOVER 2 points win @ 2/1 bet365 Epsom 15:45 A valuable class 2 handicap for four year old and upwards, run over 10F has attracted a field of ten which gives it a good each way feel with some firms paying four places. John & Thady Gosden’s Honiton proved he was better than his seasonal re-appearance (when hating the soft ground) at Goodwood when pushed out to win by 1 1/4L at Newmarket on much better ground a fortnight later under today’s pilot James Doyle though has been raised 4lb for that win and is drawn out wide. He has every chance and has to be on anyone’s short list but back in fourth that day at Newmarket was William Knight’s Dual Identity who was visibly dropped out the back from the start by Jamie Spencer and made up ground to finish 2 1/2L behind Honiton and with a one pound drop is now 5lb better off and with a more positive ride from Neil Callan from an inside berth can make up the deficit on the Gosden horse and looks great each way value. A big outsider who is worth keeping an eye in is the Richard Spencer trained The City’s Phantom who may have needed his seasonal re-appearance when friendless in the market going off at 66/1 and running accordingly. He’s better than that and having been dropped 3lb finds himself on the same mark as when a 6L winner at Yarmouth 14 months ago. Top weight Savvy Victory arrives in good form under Ryan Moore although this will be his highest ever mark whilst Bad Company (5th last year) needs softer conditions. Kevin Ryan’s Marhaba The Champ won a similar handicap on his seasonal re-appearance at York’s Dante meeting (his first since wind surgery) and with only a 2lb rise is another with claims although they did all finish in a bit of a heap that day with one of today’s rivals Majestic only a length behind and 2lb better off. A tight handicap but I feel that Dual Identity is building up to something and should be backed each way with firms paying that fourth place although it has to be noted that Knight is looking for his first winner for 119 days and 36 runs although he has a couple of runner ups in his last five runners so hopefully his turn is near. DUAL IDENTITY 1 point each way @ 8/1 1/5th 1234 Epsom 16:30 This may well revolve around the two fillies at the top of the market in Aiden O’Brien’s Savethelastdance and John and Thady Gosden’s Soul Sister. The former was so impressive at Chester but that did come on soft ground and the big question with her is will she handle this sounder surface (although the course has been well watered this week). I prefer Soul Sister who had a valid excuse on her re-appearance (soggy ground and not taking to a cross noseband) and looked a quality filly for a stable who know how to train the fairer sex. She’s the pick for me. Her stable mate Running Lion isn’t a certain stayer and I’m not quite sure what she beat at Newmarket in the Pretty Polly. David Menuisier’s Heartache Tonight is a half sister to the stable’s Group 1 winning mare Wonderful Tonight and as long as the ground is not riding fast then she can outrun her double figure odds and possibly hit the frame. SOUL SISTER 2 points win @ 5/2 BetVictor All odds accurate at time of writing.

A feast of top class action awaits us this afternoon with ITV showing ten races from four meetings. We have five from Haydock (good to firm ground), two from Goodwood (good), two from York (good to firm) plus the Irish 2000 Guineas from The Curragh (good). Here are my best racing tips to beat the bookies. Haydock 13:15 Sorry did I say top class action? We kick off today with a class 5 0-75 handicap that looks totally out of place amongst the feast of superb action to come. Mind you a winners a winner and in the top weight Auld Toon Loon we have a worthy bet. Trained in Yorkshire by David O’Meara, who’s had a quiet start to the season so far although was in the winners enclosure with Trueman earlier in the week at Carlisle, he was well supported on his handicap debut at Wetherby 11 days ago when going down by half a length to Arch Moon in a slightly better grade handicap than todays. He has been shunted up 3lb for that run and is stepping up 2F to a mile and a half for the first time. This trip should suit and despite having to give weight away to his six rivals should be up to that as his opponents look either out of form or very modest. AULD TOON LOON 2 points win @ 13/8 bet365 Goodwood 13:30 Just the seven assemble for this listed William Hill Festival Stakes run over 1M 2F. Joint best in at today’s weights are Roger Varian’s El Drama and John and Thady Gosden’s Francesco Clemente. Preference has to be for the latter who is still unbeaten in three starts as a three year old last season starting off with a comprehensive victory in the Wood Ditton and culminating with a ten length win in a handicap on the July course at the same racecourse in July. Not seen since but holding several top entries for the Summer and beyond including the Princess Of Wales, Hardwicke Stakes, Eclipse and Prix Arc de L’Triomphe he could be anything and with Rab Havlin in the saddle he’s taken to score on his re-appearance. Charlie Appleby’s King Of Conquest is chasing a hat trick having won handicaps in Bahrain and at Newmarket and rates as the biggest threat to the selection. FRANCESCO CLEMENTE 1 point win @ 7/4 BetVictor Haydock 13:50 Seven go to post for this 2M class 2 0-100 handicap. Reshoun heads the weights for Patrick Morris and although he’s back on a winning mark he’s nine years old now and may not be as good as he once was. His former trainer Ian William’s Law Of The Sea appeals as the most likely winner here having looked an unlucky loser in the Chester Cup last time out when coming home in fourth place only beaten just under two lengths. He was denied a clear run inside the last couple of furlongs when trapped on the rail under Franny Norton and is only a pound higher with William Buick booked to ride. The ground was soft that day and will be very different today but he’s shown as least as good form on fast ground throughout his career (5th, beaten 4L, in the 2021 Queens Vase at Ascot on good to firm) and is the selection here. Ralph Beckett’s Carzola is chasing a four timer but those three wins have come on the all-weather and soft turf ground so has to answer questions here on fast ground conditions. David Simcock’s Mountain Road is chasing a hat trick but we haven’t seen him on a racecourse for just under 200 days whilst Tony Martin brings Firstman over from his base in County Meath and has gone 127 days since his last flat win. Law Of The Sea is a confident selection to give William Buick yet another winner. LAW OF THE SEA 2 points win @ 3/1 BetFred Goodwood 14:05 An intriguing three year olds only 7F handicap where as always at Goodwood when racing around the bend the draw is very important with those drawn on or near the rails (low numbers) significantly better off. William Haggas’s Tafreej has to be in the shortlist from stall 2 having run well enough at Newbury last month whilst John & Thady Gosden’s Bresson is one to watch closely in the market on his handicap debut from stall 5. Yacowlef has been raised 6lb for his victory at Newmarket from Striking Star (runner up again since) and can run well for the father and son team of Paul and Oliver Cole who will no doubt be in attendance at The Curragh for the Irish 2000 Guineas today with their Guineas third Royal Scotsman. One horse who I feel is well handicapped is Tom Clover’s Seeking Gold. He bumped into Chaldean on his racecourse debut at Newbury last July prior to winning at Yarmouth the following month. He wasn’t disgraced in listed company on his next start whilst his final start in Group 2 company in France can be overlooked on account of the soft ground. He’s drawn stall one and can run very well although I would have liked to seen his trainer in better form having gone 40 days and 25 runs since his last winner but he has had a few hit the frame in the last fortnight including Rogue Millennium going down by half a length in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York. I’ll take a chance on him at the prices. SEEKING GOLD 1 point each way @ 11/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234 Haydock 14:25 The Betfred Silver Bowl is a class 2 1M three year olds only handicap that usually produces a nice winner and is always worth following. John and Thady Gosden’s Covey heads the market on the back of impressive victories at Newmarket and Newcastle. This will be his first step into handicap company and a mark of 90 looks workable when you consider the connections we’re considering the Irish 2000 Guineas for him. Frankie Dettori gets the leg up and he’s my main selection. There are several other promising types in opposition including Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Defence Of Fort who’s always been highly thought of and makes his handicap debut also although we haven’t seen him for 211 days which is a bit of a concern. The fast ground is of concern for the Ed Bethell trained James McHenry whose two handicap victories this season (including over course and distance) have come with give in the ground. Top weight Killybegs Warrior starts out in handicaps off of a lofty mark of 102 but he’s kept some smart company so far in his career including when 6th, beaten 5 1/4L in the Dante Stakes over 10 1/2F at York recently. A drop back to a mile will suit and can run a nice race. Bottom weight Just Bring It is the other one I want on my side as he appeared to improve for a sounder surface when runner up in a Newmarket handicap a week ago when getting run down late on by Chelsea Green. Off of only a one pound higher mark he looks overpriced for a trainer Clive Cox who knows how to win this having won it twice in the last four years. COVEY 2 points win @ 11/4 William Hill JUST BRING IT 1 point each way @ 14/1 1/5th 1234 York 14:40 A typical 5F sprint handicap for horses rated 0-105 for which fourteen have declared. The 5F handicap run at last week’s Dante meeting is the key piece of form here with Korker finishing runner up from Bedford Flyer in 3rd and Mondammej back in 4th and Alligator Alley, and Copper Knight further behind. Korker started slowly that day (as he has done before) and flashed home to be beaten 1/2L by Regional. With a cleaner break at the gate he can confirm that form and take this sprint handicap. Ruth Carr’s bottom weight Reigning Profit has been in good form of late but may prefer more ease in the ground whilst Nigel Tinkler’s Squealer is an interesting runner as despite a plum draw at Chester last time he patently failed to handle the soft ground and back on a sounder surface could run better. A tough race which has a ‘who’s turn is it today’ feel about it but if Karl Burke’s top weight Korker can start on terms with his rivals he could be the one to take this. KORKER 1 point win @ 10/3 William Hill Haydock 15:00 A cracker of a sprint is up next with the Group 2 6F Sandy Lane Stakes for three year olds only, a stepping stone to the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next month with all eight competitors holding that entry. The stand out horse is Aiden O’Brien’s top juvenile from last season Little Big Bear who was impressive when routing his field in the Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh coming home 7L to the good. It all went wrong for him in the 2000 Guineas when upped in trip as he pulled too hard and clipping heels early on, finished lame. Dropped back to sprint trips he has to be given another chance but has been well found in the market. Frankie Dettori takes the ride with Ryan Moore on duty in Ireland. Kevin Ryan’s Cold Case is a progressive sort who kept on well to win the group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot with today’s rival Bradsell 1 1/2L back in third. That was Bradsell’s first run since a bad injury in the Phoenix Stakes last season and he looked all over the winner until presumably blowing up inside the final furlong. It wouldn’t surprise me if Archie Watson’s likeable three year old turns the tables on Cold Case and he’s the selection here. Matilda Picotte, trained in Ireland by Kieran Cotter, ran third in the 1000 Guineas and is, like the favourite here, dropping in trip. She does though have 20lb to find with Little Big Bear. A fascinating race with Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup on the horizon and I’ll take a chance with Bradsell to shock Little Big Bear under Hollie Doyle. BRADSELL 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365 York 15:15 Nine fillies and mares aged four year olds and older line up for the Group 3 William Hill Brontë Cup Fillies Stakes for which we have a very warm favourite in the John and Thady Gosden trained four year old Mimikyu who has to shoulder a 5lb penalty for her Group 2 Park Hill Stakes win at Doncaster last September. That’s easily the best form on offer here and she will be hard to beat under Kieran O’Neill although she’s never actually raced on ground as fast as it will be this afternoon. On official ratings, even with her penalty, she’s 10lb ahead of her opponents and it’s hard to find one to trouble her here. Ralph Beckett’s River Of Stars was over 12L behind the favourite when last seen and there’s no reason to believe she can turn the tables so a bigger threat may well be the William Haggas improver Sea Flawless although this is a big step up in grade for her and is officially 20lb behind behind Mimikyu who’s been working with the stable’s Oaks fancy Soul Sister on the Newmarket gallops and has to be the pick. MIMIKYU 1 point win @ 5/4 William Hill Haydock 15:30 Fourteen speedsters line up for the Group 2 5F Betfred Temple Stakes. It has quite an open look about it this year with the front four in the market looking to dominate. James Tate’s Royal Aclaim was a highly promising sprinter last season who was very impressive at York’s Ebor meeting winning the listed City Of Walls Stakes in a canter and wasn’t disgraced on two subsequent efforts in higher grade. The two three year olds both hold decent chances with The Platinum Queen having a terrific first season culminating in winning the Prix de L’Abbaye at Longchamp against her elders. Owned then by Middleham Park Racing she was subsequently sold to Katsumi Yoshida for a staggering £1.2 million and transferred from Richard Fahey to Roger Varian and has to shoulder a 5lb penalty today. Dramatised also had an excellent first term winning the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and ending her season finishing runner up in the breeders Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with The Platinum Queen well behind. William Buick is booked and she looks the pick today although I do fear last season’s runner up Twilight Calls who loves the ground this fast and can be excused his re-appearance defeat on the grounds of the soft conditions that prevailed that day. Any one of the front four could take this but I’m with Dramatised for the in form Karl Burke stable. DRAMATISED 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 The Curragh 15:40 The Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas feature eleven three year old colts including the second and third from the English 2000 Guineas three weeks ago. Aiden O’Brien saddles three runners in a race that he’s won a staggering eleven times in the past. Ryan Moore presumably has had the pick and is on the progressive Paddington who was pushed out to win a listed race over course and distance last time following a handicap victory at Naas. Both of those wins were gained on soft ground and on different ground and upped in trip is quite easily passed over. You do feel if he wasn’t the O’Brien number one he would a much bigger price than his current price of around 4/1. O’Brien also sends out Cairo and Age Of Kings here but neither appeal. The race that should produce the winner today is the English 2000 Guineas from three weeks ago when Kevin Ryan’s Hi Royal, who went off at 125/1, had Paul & Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman half a length behind when runner up to Chaldean. That doesn’t tell half the story mind as the latter was lit up by clipping heels early on, running with the choke out and on the wrong side of where the winner and runner up came from. Royal Scotsman has decent two year old form on fast ground as a two year old and the younger half of the training duo sounded very confident earlier in the week talking up his chances. Jamie Spencer is not my favourite jockey but he’s capable and won this race for Charlie Hills back in 2019 and takes the reins today. He’s a confident selection. ROYAL SCOTSMAN 2 points win @ 2/1 bet365 All odds were accurate at time of writing.

The Oaks is only just over a week away and with all the trials done and dusted it seems a good time to have a look at the historic race afresh. With just two declaration stages remaining we have 24 three year old fillies still left in the race which will e’ll be run at Epsom over 1M 4F on 2nd June. Here’s my horse by horse analysis with an ante post suggested bet. ASHTANGA Trainer: Freddie & Martyn Meade A soft ground Nottingham maiden winner as a two year old she was beaten out of sight by current favourite Savethelastdance at Chester in the Cheshire Oaks and it would be a major surprise were she to figure. Current odds: 100/1 BE HAPPY Trainer: Aiden O’Brien One of nine Aiden O’Brien runners still in the race. Ran well on re-appearance when third in Group 3 in France and ran to same level when runner up to Godolphin’s Eternal Hope in the Lingfield Oaks Trial run on the all weather. Bit to find with the principals. BLUESTOCKING Trainer: Ralph Beckett Looked useful when winning at Salisbury on her debut back in September and wasn’t disgraced on re-appearance when going down by a head to Aiden O’Brien’s Warm Heart in Newbury’s listed Oaks trial last weekend over 10F. This race may come a bit soon and Royal Ascot is probably more likely her target. BOOGIE WOOGIE Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Was 2 1/2L behind her stablemate and current favourite Savethelastdance in a maiden on her re-appearance at Leopardstown and subsequently broke her duck on her next start at Naas. Upped in grade when her limitations were exposed in running 6th of 10 in the 10F Prix Saint-Alary earlier this month. Current odds: 50/1 BRIGHT DIAMOND Trainer: Karl Burke Best run as a juvenile came when third in the Group 1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket, beaten 5 3/4L by Commissioning. Easy to back and a bit disappointing when only 5th in Lingfield Oaks Trial behind Eternal Pearl and Be Happy only run since. Needs to step up from that effort to have a place chance. Current odds: 50/1 CAERNARFON Trainer: Jack Channon Ran well on her re-appearance when 4th (beaten 10 1/2L) to Mawj in the 1000 Guineas. That was over a mile and on breeding there has to be serious doubts as to whether she’ll stay this trip of 1M 4F. Current odds: 50/1 CLOUDBREAKER Trainer: Charlie Fellowes Only rated 83 and was behind Bluestocking at Newbury last week. Would be better off going down the handicap route and is a no hoper. Current odds: 100/1 DANCE IN THE GRASS Trainer: Charlie Johnstone Went off at 200/1 when running a respectable 5th (beaten 11 1/2L) in 1000 Guineas on her re-appearance. Plenty of stamina in her pedigree and she should improve for stepping up in trip. Could outrun her odds with stamina now drawn out. Current odds: 40/1 EMPRESS WU Trainer: David Simcock Lingfield all-weather maiden winner as a juvenile. Was found out when stepping up in grade in the Musidora Stakes at York when finishing last but one of the eight runners, beaten 9 1/2L by Soul Sister. Unlikely to bridge that gap and hard to fancy. Current odds: 100/1 ETERNAL HOPE Trainer: Charlie Appleby A lightly raced improving Teofilo filly who’s yet to race on turf. She improved from a maiden win at Chelmsford to winning the Lingfield Oaks Trial run on the all weather surface by 1 3/4L from Be Happy. Has to be supplemented to run here at a cost of £85,000. HEARTACHE TONIGHT Trainer: David Menuisier A half sister to the stables Group 1 winning mare Wonderful Tonight and has shown plenty of ability of her own in three starts in France. The best effort coming when 4th, beaten 1 1/2L, in Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary earlier this month. The step up in trip will suit but has only raced on soft ground. Her trainer has stated she’s unlikely to run on good fast ground. If getting her conditions she’s no 40/1 chance. Current odds: 40/1 INFINITE COSMOS Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute Was well supported when winning her maiden at the Newmarket Guineas meeting and was well backed once more when stepping up in grade to run in the Musidora Stakes at York when going down by 4 1/2L to Soul Sister. Extra furlong and a half should suit but hard to envisage her turning tables on the winner that day. Current odds: 12/1 JACKIE OH Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Dam was first past the post in 1000 Guineas so classically bred. Only run the twice, winning a 1M Naas maiden on soft ground in March and runner up in listed company at Navan the following month. One of 9 Aiden O’Brien possibles but will need to step her game up to feature here. Current odds: 33/1 MAMAN JOON Trainer: Richard Hannon Owned by Amo Racing and has had just the one career start when running the impressive Gather Ye Rosebuds to 9 1/2L in a Newbury 10F maiden on soft ground in April. The winner was put in her place in the Musidora and that form is hardly good enough. Current odds: 50/1 MEDITATE Trainer: Aiden O’Brien One of the best two year olds around last season winning 5 of her 7 starts including the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile. Went off second favourite in 1000 Guineas when only 6th to Mawj beaten 11 1/2L. Up half a mile here and unlikely to stay and an unlikely runner. Current odds: 66/1 NEVER ENDING STORY Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Group 3 winner at Leopardstown in April and wasn’t totally disgraced when 5th in French 1000 Guineas last weekend, beaten only 5L. Yet to race beyond a mile though there’s stamina on both sides of her pedigree so may appreciate stepping up in distance now. Each way claims. Current odds: 16/1 POLLY POT Trainer: Ben Pauling Winner of the Group 2 May Hill Stakes as a juvenile for the now retired Harry Dunlop. Has since joined predominantly jumps trainer Ben Pauling in the Cotswolds but shown very little in two starts (1000 Guineas & Newbury Oaks Trial) and may not have trained on. Current odds: 100/1 RED RIDING HOOD Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Another Aiden O’Brien filly who broke her maiden at Dundalk on the sand in April at 2/7. Wore first time blinkers when third, beaten 3/4L in 10F Group 3 at Naas at beginning of month so has plenty to find. Current odds: 66/1 RICH Trainer: Richard Hannon Beaten in Brighton handicap on penultimate outing and has an official rating of only 87. Total no hoper. Current odds: 200/1 RUNNING LION Trainer: John & Thady Gosden Won her last four starts (three on the all weather) and took her form to another level when an easy winner of the listed 10F Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting. She came home 4 1/2L to the good that day from Sumo Sam, who’s been beaten since at odds on so it may not have been the strongest renewal of that race. Connections aren’t sure whether she’ll stay 1M 4F and question marks hang over her for that reason. Current odds: 7/1 SAVETHELASTDANCE Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Followed a Leopardstown maiden win on soft ground (form worked out well) with a staggering 22L victory in the Cheshire Oaks on soft ground. Visually very impressive and must go very close here as long as there’s some cut in ground. Interestingly her part owner Paul Smith was saying afterwards they think she will be even better on better ground. No value in the price now but massive chance. Current odds: 11/8 SEA OF ROSES Trainer: Andrew Balding Runner up in a Group 3 in France on re-appearance prior to finishing 7 3/4L 5th of 8 in Musidora behind Soul Sister. Has a bit to find on that run and would only hold a small place chance. Current odds: 50/1 SOUL SISTER Trainer: John & Thady Gosden Obviously hated the soft ground at Newbury on re-appearance (also apparently resented wearing a cross noseband) when finishing plum last of twelve beaten some 22L but turned in a much improved run when winning the Musidora Stakes at York when always travelling well on the better ground on the near side and running out a 4L winner (Infinite Cosmos, Sea Of Roses & Empress Wu all behind and looking held). The extra furlong and a half shouldn’t be an issue and holds a major chance. Current odds: 3/1 UNLESS Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Finally broke her maiden at Naas last week winning by 2 1/2L at their seventh attempt. Only rated 89 and unlikely to be troubling the judge. Current odds: 50/1 WARM HEART Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Galileo filly who stepped up from her Leopardstown maiden victory when winning the listed 10F Newbury Oaks trial by a head from Bluestocking last week. Extra 2F shouldn’t be an issue and holds each way claims as long as this race doesn’t come too soon. Current odds: 14/1 This may well revolve around the two fillies at the top of the market in Aiden O’Brien’s Savethelastdance and John and Thady Gosden’s Soul Sister. The former was so impressive at Chester but that did come on soft ground and if, as looks likely, the ground rides on the better side next weekend she could be vulnerable especially at her current odds. I prefer Soul Sister who had a valid excuse on her re-appearance (soggy ground and not taking to a cross noseband) and looked a quality filly for a stable who know how to train the fairer sex. She’s the pick of the current prices. Her stable mate Running Lion isn’t a certain stayer and I’m not quite sure what she beat at Newmarket in the Pretty Polly whilst Infinite Cosmos looks comfortably held by the selection. Were the ground to turn soft then David Menuisier’s Heartache Tonight a half sister to the stable’s Group 1 winning mare Wonderful Tonight would be worth backing each way at around the 40/1 but she is very ground dependent. SOUL SISTER 2 points win @ 10/3 bet365 My Epsom Derby thoughts can be found here:- https://forum.punterslounge.com/topic/183371-epsom-derby/

With all the main trials run I thought it would be a good time to take stock and have a fresh look at the Epsom Derby to be run over a mile and a half a week this Saturday. There are currently twenty one still entered with two declaration stages to go plus the possibility of a horse/s being supplemented at a cost of £85,000 Here’s a horse by horse analysis with an ante-post play at the end. ADELAIDE RIVER Trainer: Aiden O’Brien One of eight O’Brien horses still left in the race. Was 6 1/2L behind Arrest in Chester Vase on his re-appearance and will need to improve considerably on that to feature. Current odds: 66/1 ALDER Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien Runner up to San Antonio in Chester’s Dee Stakes over 10F following a win at Cork in April. Stepping up in trip here may bring about some improvement but will need to. Current odds: 25/1 ARREST Trainer: John & Thady Gosden Bidding to give Frankie Dettori a winning Derby ride in his last year and has sound claims of doing so. Best run as a two year old when finishing a head runner up in Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud in October on heavy ground to Dubai Mike and sluiced through the mud when a very easy winner of the Chester Vase by 6 1/2L from Adelaide River. Has won on good to firm although his two best runs have come with plenty of ease in the ground so any rain will suit this Juddmonte owned Frankel colt who has a live chance. Current odds: 13/2 ARTISTIC STAR Trainer: Ralph Beckett Shown good form in winning a Nottingham maiden last October and a 10F novice stakes contest at Sandown earlier this month from Torito. A promising sort who his trainer stated after his recent victory that the Derby may come too soon and Royal Ascot is a more realistic target. Current odds: 50/1 AUGUSTE RODIN Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Arguably the best two year old from last season winning a Naas maiden, Group 2 at Leopardstown and the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster all with give in the ground. Went off 13/8 favourite when a major flop in the 2000 Guineas, getting bumped by his stable mate Little Big Bear and trailing home in 12th (of 14) place beaten 22L. Steps up from a mile to a mile and a half here and his trainer has been talking him up since but looks poor value at his current odds on his 2000 Guineas run. Current odds: 7/2 COVENT GARDEN Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Placed third on re-appearance in 1M 5F listed race at Navan. Yet another Aiden O’Brien runner who looks more of a stayer and hard to fancy. Current odds: 100/1 DEAR MY FRIEND Trainer: Charlie Johnstone Won the Burradon Stakes on the all weather at Newcastle in April but was beaten 6 3/4L into 8th place in the Dante Stakes at 22/1 and looks highly unlikely to give rookie trainer Charlie Johnstone a Derby winner in his first year training in his own name. Current odds: 66/1 DUBAI MILE Trainer: Charlie Johnstone Smart juvenile finishing runner up to The Foxes ( beaten 1/2L) in the Royal Lodge before taking the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud on heavy ground by a head from Arrest over 10F. Made a highly satisfactory re-appearance when fifth in 2000 Guineas, beaten 5 1/4L by Chaldean and the longer trip of The Derby looks highly likely to suit. Looks overpriced and looks a very interesting runner for his first season (in his name anyway) trainer. Current odds: 16/1 ESPIONAGE Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Not seen since last October when beaten a head by Proud And Regal in Group 1 Criterium International at Saint Cloud on heavy ground. Longer trip today should suit and one of the better outsiders if allowed to take his chance for Aiden O’Brien. Current odds: 40/1 GOOLOOGONG Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Naas 10F winner on heavy ground back in March by 2 1/4L from Nation’s Call ( beaten since) with the pair a long way clear of the remainder. Form doesn’t amount to much and would need a giant leap of faith if allowed to take his chance. Current odds: 40/1 GREENLAND Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Another Aiden O’Brien entry who finished just a length and a quarter behind The Foxes in the Royal Lodge last backend. Winner of a Group 3 at Saint Cloud over 10 1/2F on very soft ground at beginning of this month and needs to step his form up further to play a part in the finish if allowed to take his chance. Current odds: 66/1 KING OF STEEL Trainer: Roger Varian Last seen when running down the field in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster in October beaten some 9 3/4L by winner Auguste Rodin for owners Amo Racing for trainer David Loughnane. Has since joined Roger Varian and was a 28/1 chance when playing up in stalls for the Dante Stakes at York last week when being withdrawn. Current odds: 100/1 MILITARY ORDER Trainer: Charlie Appleby A full brother to the 2021 Derby winner Adayar and has followed his hoof prints in winning at Newbury impressively on his re-appearance and following up in the Lingfield Derby Trial, run on the all weather, by 1 1/4L from Waipiro at a track that wouldn’t have shown him at his best. Already done more than his illustrious brother, who got beat in the Lingfield Derby Trial, prior to winning this and looks sure to run a big race. Current odds: 3/1 MODESTY Trainer: Freddie & Martyn Meade Ran out a comfortable 3L winner of a 1M York maiden last October from a 74 rated maiden. That form looks average enough and a massive ask to step up from that to be involved here. Current odds: 100/1 PASSENGER Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute Will need to be supplemented at a cost of £85,000 if his connections wish to run. Was the unlucky horse in the Dante Stakes at York when jockey Richard Kingscote continually failing to get a clear passage flashing home to finish 1 1/2L third to The Foxes and White Birch. That was only his second ever start having won the Wood Ditton at Newmarket in April on his racecourse bow. Stoute’s last three Derby winners (including last year with Desert Crown) ran in this, with Workforce finishing runner up on his second career start prior to winning at Epsom. I'm reliably informed that he will be supplemented and looks likely to be a springer in the market when that news breaks. PADDINGTON Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Has improved this season winning a Naas handicap comfortably when well backed and a listed race at The Curragh earlier this month by a length and a half from Drumroll. Yet to race beyond a mile although his dam won at upto 1M 5F so should stay well enough. Going the right way and if allowed to take his chance there would be worse 40/1 chances than him. Current odds: 40/1 SAN ANTONIO Trainer: Aiden O’Brien Followed up a comfortable 3 3/4L Dundalk maiden win in March with victory in the listed Dee Stakes at Chester by 1 /4L from Alder over 1M 2 1/2F. Extra distance here should be fine and progressing the right way. Current odds: 25/1 SPREWELL Trainer: Jessie Harrington Followed up his Naas win in March with comfortable 3L victory in the Leopardstown Derby Trial from a couple of useful sorts in Up And Under and Proud And Regal. Extra 2F here will no doubt suit and looks a player although has only run on soft ground so possibly wouldn’t want a fast ground (unlikely) Derby. Current odds: 10/1 SQUIRE DANAGHER Trainer: A Oliver A thrice raced maiden that looks totally out his depth here. Likely to finish last if turning up. Current odds: 200/1 THE FOXES Trainer: Andrew Balding Has some top class form in winning Group 1 Royal Lodge as a juvenile and following a credible runner up in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket took the Dante Stakes at York last week by a neck from White Birch. Extra furlong and a half here should suit and holds genuine each way claims. Current odds: 10/1 WAIPIRO Trainer: Ed Walker Stepped up when giving current favourite Military Order a scare at Lingfield in their Derby Trial run on the all-weather earlier this month when going down by a length and a quarter. Lightly raced and no shock were he to hit the frame at nice odds on that run alone. Current odds: 20/1 WHITE BIRCH Trainer: John Joseph Murphy Stepped up from his Group 3 Leopardstown victory in April when running a stormer in the Dante Stakes in chasing home The Foxes only going down by a neck. Highly rated by his trainer and has solid each way claims. Current odds: 14/1 Aiden O’Brien has left eight in although he has stated not all will run with his main hope Auguste Rodin still very high in his thoughts. I can’t get over his poor run at Newmarket and for me is opposable at his current odds. Military Order is going the right way for the boys in blue although he didn’t blow me away last time on the all weather in winning the Lingfield Derby Trial although to be fair the track wouldn’t have played to his strengths that day. Arrest had little to beat when winning well at Chester and obviously prefers some cut in the ground likewise Irish challenger Sprewell. Passenger will no doubt be a springer in the market when he’s supplemented for this as he was the one to take out of the Dante Stakes in finishing an unlucky third. His trainer is never one to rush his horses mind so until he’s committed to the race has to be watched. The value in the race may be with Charlie Johnstone’s Dubai Mile who beat Arrest as a two year old but can be backed at over double the odds. There was plenty to like about his 5th in the 2000 Guineas over a trip woefully too short for him (he won a Group 1 as a juvenile over 10F on soft ground) and looks each way value at a top priced 16/1. DUBAI MILE 1 point each way @ 16/1 Watch DubaiMile work this morning:- https://twitter.com/ValueRacingPlus/status/1661299085071077377?s=20

A terrific afternoon’s racing with the ITV team bringing us four quality races from Newbury with the feature race the Lockinge Stakes at 15:35 and another three handicaps from an interesting card at Newmarket. The ground is drying and should ride perfect good ground at both tracks. Here are my best racing tips to beat the bookies. Newbury 13:50 We start the afternoon’s racing off we an eight runner renewal of the 6F listed BetVictor Carnarvon Stakes. A warm favourite here is the Charlie Appleby trained Noble Style who reverts to sprinting having failed to stay a mile when running credibly in finishing 6th, beaten 5 1/2L, to Chaldean in the 2000 Guineas a fortnight ago. Unbeaten as a two year old including the Gimcrack at York sprinting may be his game and as he is officially rated 7lb and upwards better than his opposition he can strike under William Buick. The two improvers against him are the Charlie Hills trained Rabaah who’s looked a useful sort in winning at 6F at Lingfield and Wolverhampton earlier this year on the all weather. This is however a big step up in grade (he’s officially rated 27lb inferior to Noble Style) and whilst he can run well he’s unlikely to trouble the favourite. The other improver is the Julie Camacho trained Shaquille. Camacho has a proven touch with her sprinters but he too has to step up from his latest handicap win which came on soft ground at the Guineas meeting at Newmarket. Maybe the biggest threat to Noble Style is the Aidan O’Brien trained Aesop’s Fable who on official ratings only has 7lb to find but this should really be Noble Style’s to lose and he can win here and put himself in pole position for his next target the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot next month for which he’s currently a top priced 6/1 for. It’s probably worth taking that 6/1 as if, as I expect, he wins well here then his odds for Royal Ascot are likely to tumble. NOBLE STYLE 3 points win @ 10/11 Betfred NOBLE STYLE 2 points win @ 6/1 bet365 (Commonwealth Cup, Royal Ascot, June 23rd) Newmarket 14:05 The first of three handicaps shown by ITV this afternoon is the class 4 1M 0-85 contest which has attracted 11 runners. John and Thady Gosden saddle an interesting runner in the handicap debutant Ceanna, a winner of a Southwell novice stakes back in December. Her owner George Strawbridge is over from his base in America to watch the likes of Free Wind and Epictetus at York so one would think the filly will be tuned up for this. Sean Woods’s Gulmarg ran a decent third at the last meeting here and with the winner winning well at Chester since should run well along with William Haggas’s Good Gracious who’s Newcastle class 5 handicap win last October has worked out well with the runner up and third both winning since. Andrew Balding’s Totnes was back to form on the all weather last time at Lingfield but has been re-assessed and is now 5lb higher. It will be interesting to see how she handles the turf today under David Probert. The horse I like is the Harry and Roger Charlton trained Acotango. The Charlton’s are having a rather lean time of it currently with 42 runs and 118 days since their last winner but they’ve had many placed recently with five runner ups in the past fortnight so stable form isn’t too much of a concern. The horse ran a stormer following a gelding operation when a one length second to the progressive Racingbreaks Ryder at Haydock, form which has been franked by subsequent wins by the winner and the third. A 3lb rise may not be enough to stop him putting the Charltons back in the winners enclosure. ACOTANGO 1 points each way @ 9/2 bet365 1/5th 1234 Newbury 14:25 Seven go to post for the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes (known as The Aston Park Stakes to us of a certain age!). Like the Carnarvon Stakes previously we have a warm Godolphin favourite in the globe trotting Yibir. Not seen for 317 days he is the clear form horse with a rating of 119 which is 9lb and upwards better than any of his six rivals. A reproduction of his Princess Of Wakes Group 2 win last July would be good enough to win this but his record following an absence of more than 100 days reads 332 and although he’s the best horse here first time out may not be the best time to be with him especially at such a short price. So who can we take him on with? The most obvious is the Ralph Beckett trained, Frankie Dettori ridden filly Haskoy who was very lightly raced as a three year old winning twice and finishing a highly credible 4th in the St Leger. She has her tongue tied down here and with the Beckett team amongst the winners recently and running at 24% win ratio she’ll do for me. Andrew Balding’s saddles his mightily impressive dual all weather winner Old Harrovian who missed Chester last week due to softening ground but surely this is a step too far too early for him. He’s officially rated 25lb behind Yibir and what a shame his trainer couldn’t send him down the handicap route! The Gosdens run Israr who also missed Chester due to soft terrain whilst William Haggas re-introduces the promising Gaassee who hadn’t been seen since flopping in last year’s Ebor in August. HASKOY 1 point win @ 4/1 William Hill Newmarket 14:40 A eleven runner 0-105 three year old handicap is up next and is a race well worth following over the forthcoming months. Roger Varian’s Revenite is an interesting runner making his handicap debut following wins at Ascot and Kempton last September and is worth monitoring in the market. Kevin Ryan has been amongst the winners this week at York and saddles his Washington Heights who was runner up in a similar handicap over course and distance at the Guineas meeting. Better ground today may well suit and he has claims along with the unexposed Ararat, trained by David Simcock who’s making his handicap debut and doesn’t look that badly treated here with his latest second at Wolverhampton back in November franked by subsequent wins for the 4th and 5th from that race. The Kevin Philippart De Foy trained Expert Angel has been making hay on the all weather this year winning three times over this trip rising some 17lb and it remains to be seen how he copes reverting back to turf where he’s 0 from 3. My pick however is the Clive Cox trained Eminency who was unlucky in the run when last seen at Kempton in April in not getting a clear run up the inside and finishing with plenty of running in him. Off of the same mark and already proven on decent turf ground (he was pulled out on soft ground at the last meeting) he looks the bet here although I will reduce my stake as the Cox team are not in the best of form at the moment going 17 days and 30 runs since his last winner. EMINENCY 1 point win @ 3/1 BetVictor Newbury 15:00 An excellent renewal of the three year old handicap the BetVictor London Gold Cup run over 10F of the round course and a race that will be worth following over the forthcoming months. The weights are headed by the Godolphin owned Bold Act who surprisingly has been gelded since taking a keen hold and flopping at Newmarket at the Craven meeting. He has it to do here giving weight away to some promising types. Aidan O’Brien sends over Bertinelli who is still in the Derby and is making his handicap debut here. He could be competitive under Ryan Moore. Roger Varian saddles Exoplanet who has some fancy entries of his own and ran into the smart Military Order on his re-appearance here on soft ground and wasn’t disgraced in finishing a 4L second with Thursday’s winner Chesspiece just behind in third. He’s one for the short list although a draw of 16 is hardly a plus. Royal Rhyme bolted up at the Newmarket Guineas meeting but both of his two career wins have come on soft ground and the drying conditions may not be ideal. Desert Hero is a must for any short list having been entered in the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot recently (also still holds a Derby entry as well). This is his handicap debut having won at Haydock and Redcar on soft/heavy as a juvenile although his best effort came on good ground when third in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown in August. If his entries are anything to go by his mark of 94 could be very workable. There’s many others who could be given a chance with my best outsider at a big price being Richard Spencer’s Pjanoo who’s making his first appearance in a handicap and kept some good company as a juvenile. Desert Hero has to be the bet here although I can’t resist a saver on Exoplanet despite his wide draw. DESERT HERO 2 points win @ 9/2 bet365 EXOPLANET 1 point win @ 5/1 bet365 Newbury 15:35 The day’s feature race is the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes ,a Group one contest run over the straight mile and we have a excellent sized field of thirteen for this year’s renewal. Preference has to be with the Charlie Appleby trained Modern Games who is as tough as they come having travelled around the world running consistently. A drawn of 13 may be deemed a disadvantage on the wing but William Buick will no doubt have a plan to drop him in and come with a late (hopefully winning!) run. The Gosden’s Laurel is taking on the boys for the first time in her life but is still relatively unexposed and can make a race of it with Frankie Dettori aiming to add to his last season riches. Mutasaabeq got the run of the race last time of Newmarket and was also giving weight all round. A reproduction of that run puts him bang in here with a winning chance but I’m just not sure whether he’ll be given as much rope out front on this occasion with the likes of front runner Jadoomi in the race. MODERN GAMES 2 points win @ 3/1 William Hill LAUREL 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365 Newmarket 15:50 A seven runner class 2 0-105 handicap for four year olds and upwards is up next. The one they all have to beat is undoubtably the William Haggas trained five year old Montassib who appears to have more to give. Unsuited by heavy ground on his re-appearance in the Lincoln he then got no sort of run at Haydock last time when forcing his way through on the rails and flashing home under Cieran Fallon beaten only two lengths. Not young Fallon’s finest ride but off of the same handicap mark can make amends today. The first three home in a similar grade handicap run over course and distance at the Guineas meeting renew rivalry with Charlie Johnstone’s The Gatekeeper beating Ralph Beckett’s Star Of Orion by a length with David & Nicola Barron’s Persuasion half a length away in third. On the revised terms there shouldn’t be much between the trio although they may all have to go to beat the selection. MONTASSIB 2 points win @ 3/1 bet365 All odds were accurate at time of writing.

The final day of three of the Dante York meeting with the feature race The Yorkshire Cup run at 15:35. We have five races there and a class 4 20 runner handicap from Newbury. Good ground all round with drying conditions. Here are my free horse racing tips for the days terrestrial action. York 13:50 The 5F Marygate Fillies Stakes is a listed race for two year old fillies and kicks proceedings off today. Dominic Ffrench-Davis is having his best ever season with Amo Racing running from his Lambourn stables and I was most impressed with his 145,000 guineas yearling Persian Dreamer who ran out a clear cut winner at Newmarket on her debut 30 days ago and it will take a good one to beat her today. If there is one to bustle her up it may be the Karl Burke trained juvenile Got To Love A Grey who was also visually very impressive when scooting clear of her field at Nottingham on soft ground in April. The race can be fought out by the pair with definite preference for Persian Dreamer. Karl Burke also saddles Dorothy Lawrence with Ryan Moore on board but it will be a surprise if she can turn the tables on Persian Dreamer as she was 3 1/4L behind that one on her debut. Rod Millman has a good squad of two year olds this season and his Beenham looked good in winning at Goodwood last time and shouldn’t disgrace herself but for me this is all about Amo Racing’s Persian Dreamer. PERSIAN DREAMER 2 points win @ 6/4 Newbury 14:05 A twenty runner class 3 handicap for four year olds and upwards rated 0-88 is up next from Newbury. The key form race here is the class 4 handicap run over course and distance on soft ground in April where Harry Eustace’s Mustazeed came late to beat John Flint’s Time Interval by 3/4L with James Fanshawe’s Tuxedo Junction 1 1/2L back in third and now 6lb better off. That was an eye catching run from the latter who had been off 183 days and his first run since being gelded. I fully expect Tuexdo Junction to turn the tables on the two that finished ahead of him that day as the drying ground is more likely to be in his favour than the other two mudlarks. Well drawn in stall 6 he looks worth an each way bet with Danny Muscutt doing the steering. Two to watch carefully in the market are the Ian Williams trained Tribal Wisdom who’s joined Williams from the Godolphin operation at a cost of £35,000 whilst Hughie Morrison’s Premiere Ligne has joined his shrewd stable from France for £26,000 having won twice in his native company. There’s plenty of dead wood in the race and it’s Tuxedo Junction for me. TUXEDO JUNCTION 1 point each way @ 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 12345 York 14:25 Ten promising fillies line up for the listed 1M Oaks Farms Stables Fillies’ Stakes. Charlie Appleby’s Silver Lady looked smart when winning a Newmarket 1M maiden at the Craven meeting by just under 4L and should be thereabouts although it’s rather surprising that she wasn’t entered for any Royal Ascot races notably the Coronation Stakes which six of her opponents were entered for recently. As big as 9/2 in the week the value has evaporated from her now. John and Thady Gosden unleash their impressive Ascot winner from 16 days ago and the Kingman filly looked good that day and is another to consider along with the Sir Michael Stoute contender Stormy Sea who is a half sister to the smart Bay Bridge and races in the same colours as her illustrious half brother. She took a Haydock maiden easily three weeks ago and is another who can run well although again it’s surprising that she has no Royal Ascot entries. Juliet Sierra has it to do with a penalty for last year’s Group 3 Salisbury victory whilst William Haggas saddles two improvers in Newmarket winner from last October Orchid Bloom and Shadwell owned Fakhama who won on her debut at Newbury and has been given the Coronation Stakes entry. The Irish runner trained by Jessie Harrington Sounds Of Heaven has some fancy future entries on both sides of the Irish Sea and shouldn’t be dismissed lightly with her Leopardstown maiden win from last October working out well (the runner up that day Boogie Woogie was 6th in the French 1000 last weekend). This is a very informative fillies race that will most certainly be worth following with many holding chances. I’ll take the Stoute filly Stormy Sea under Ryan Moore to score to small stakes. STORMY SEA 1 point each way @ 8/1 William Hill 1/5th 123 York 15:00 The class 2 Knights Solicitors Handicap is run over 1m 2 1/2F and is for four year olds and upwards with a field of 13 going to post. It’s certainly not the strongest York handicap I’ve seen and my fancy is the Richard Fahey trained Spirit Dancer who is making his seasonal re-appearance here. He’s always run well at this track with his form figures here reading 54412 and if ready to go today can take this competitive handicap. A couple of interesting runners are the William Haggas trained Aramaic who we haven’t seen on a racecourse since September 2021 having been gelded in the interim. The market will no doubt tell us if he’s expected to figure today. The other horse of interest is the Andrew Balding trained, Qatar Racing owned Nobel who is making his handicap debut following wind surgery and being off for 201 days. As with the aforementioned Aramaic a market watch is essential. James Ferguson saddles an interesting runner in Diderot who has shown little in three turf starts but has plenty of all weather form and races today off a 7lb lower mark than his all weather mark. David O’Meara loves a winner at York and he saddles Eeetee who is up 4lb for winning at Haydock three weeks ago whilst top weight Masekela trained by Andrew Balding is taking a drop in class in his first handicap. A tough race but if straight enough it’s Spirit Dancer for me. SPIRIT DANCER 1 point each way @ 6/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 York 15:35 The Yorkshire Cup, a Group 2 race run over 14F, has a different feel to it this year with no Stradivarius who won it on three of the last four years but we still have seven staying horses. The recent key piece of form is the Dubai Gold Cup run over 2M at Meydan 55 days ago where Aidan O’Brien’s globe trotting Broome came late and fast to collar Charlie Appleby’s Siskany on the line. There was a neck between the pair and dropping back to 14F should suit the pair of them so they are hard to split. Behind them and seemingly held that day were Get Shirty and Giavellotto whilst Quickthorn was 7 1/2L back in 7th and it surprises me that Hughie Morrison’s six year old is ahead of Broome and Siskany in the betting today. Roger Varian brings last year’s St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov here but he is penalised 5lb and this is his first run of the season which is geared around a go at the Ascot Gold Cup in three weeks time. He may just need this run and preference is for the Godolphin runner Siskany under William Buick who is the highest rated horse in the race (by a pound from Broome). SISKANY 1 point win @ 9/2 bet365 York 16:10 Just seven have declared for this interesting 1M class 2 Novice Stakes. The second and third from the Wood Ditton are here in the shape of William Haggas’s Kathab and Andrew Balding’s New Business. They were both making their racecourse debuts that day when finishing 3L and 4 1/2L respectively behind Sir Michael Stoute’s Passenger at Newmarket and we should obviously be keeping an eye on how Passenger does in the Dante Stakes on Thursday afternoon to see whether there’s a form boost. John and Thady Gosden saddle a brace of promising colts in Mostabshir who was last seen when running 5th in the Craven Stakes, beaten 7 3/4L and was put in the Group 1 St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot recently. Two things against him here is the 6lb penalty he has to shoulder for a Kempton win last November and the fact that Jim Crowley appears to have chosen Kathab over him as they both race in the blue and white Shadwell Stud colours although William Buick is hardly a downgrade in jockeys. The other Gosden runner is Ziryab who showed some promise at Yarmouth on his debut. I’ll take William Haggas’s Kathab to confirm Wood Ditton form with New Business and beat his owners stable mate Mostabshir. KATHAB 1 point win @ 2/1 William Hill All odds were accurate at time of writing.

Day 2 of York’s Dante meeting with the feature race the Dante Stakes due to be off at 15.35. The ITV cameras are also showing a 2 year old conditions race from Salisbury. The ground is drying at both tracks with good at York and slightly slower at good to soft at Salisbury. York 13:50 The days action starts with a 14 runner 5F 4 year olds and upwards class 2 handicap. Tim Easterby’s Copper Knight has won two of the last three renewals of this race (he was 8th last year) and must have claims although he’s not getting any younger at 9 years of age. John Butler’s Designer won over course and distance at the Ebor meeting last August and comes into the equation having had a run already this season but is 10lb higher now than that win and may need to come down the handicap a bit before visiting the winners enclosure again. Roger Teal’s Whenthedealisdone ran well enough at Goodwood a fortnight ago to suggest he can play a part in the finish especially with William Buick booked. Karl Burke’s Korker is my idea of the winner though. A winner of a three year old only 5F handicap at this meeting last year, he kept good company after without winning and a down the field run in a Group 3 at Newmarket on possibly unsuitable soft ground 12 days ago prompted a further 2lb drop in the weights putting him just 5lb higher than last year’s 2 1/2L success. He has been slowly away before so that’s something to bear in mind. Burke has his string in fine form and with his regular pilot Clifford Lee on board can run well each way. KORKER 1 point each way @ 8/1 1/5th 1234 Salisbury 14:05 Off to Wiltshire for a 5F two year old fillies conditions stakes contest featuring two penalised winners. The William Haggas trained Relief Rally won well at Windsor on her debut and incurs a 4lb penalty here. That form has been boosted since by the 8L fifth winning since by 5L and she should go well. Eve Johnson Houghton appears to have a good bunch of juveniles this season and saddles easy Bath winner Juniper Berries. That form is beginning to work out very well with the 3rd and 4th (by 5L) both winning since. She is only penalised 2lb for that victory and has to be the pick here en route to Royal Ascot if all goes well. A market watch must be kept on the two unraced fillies from the more than capable yards of Ralph Beckett and Clive Cox who both receive an unraced allowance of 3lb. The other pair raced against each other over course and distance a fortnight with Rod Millman’s Chinese Knot running well to finish third and is not out of this. With her form working out well it has to be Juniper Berries for me though. JUNIPER BERRIES 2 points win @ 6/5 BetVictor York 14:25 The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Stakes is up next. A Group 2 contest for 4 year old fillies and mares only run over 1M 2 1/2F of the Knavesmire has attracted a field of eight. Clear favourite and officially 6lb and more ahead of her rivals is the John and Thady Gosden trained Free Wind, who looked a progressive mare last season when blitzing her opponents on her only run in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock in July on soft ground. She has good winning Group form on fast ground as well so the drying ground shouldn’t be an issue for her. She has however not been seen since that impressive win and at a rather skinny price it may pay to look for something each way against her as long as the dead eight all run. The one that interests me is the Richard Hannon trained, Sean Levey ridden Aristia who started out in this race last year when finishing runner up to to Lilac Road at 20/1. She finished her season by winning the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville for which she picks up a 3lb penalty today. Each way she looks the value if straight enough (she won first time out as a two year old as well as her good run in this a year ago). Roger Varian has taken charge of the German Oaks winner from last season Toscana Belle who also has picked up a 3lb penalty for that Group 1 victory. Sea Silk Road races for the William Haggas team and had some good form last season though I’m still a bit worried about the form of the Newmarket handler. The most likeliest winner has to be Free Wind but Aristia each way appeals as better value. ARISTIA 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5 123 York 15:00 A cracking renewal with a maximum field of twenty assemble for the Sky Bet Hambleton Handicap run over just short of a mile of the Knavesmire. Last year’s one-two Cruyff Turn and Brunch are back to renew battle and on identical terms there’s likely to be little between them again although the former appears to have fared best with the drawn in stall 3. Both are one pound lower than last year. The likely favourite and well found in the market is the Sir Michael Stoute trained Assessment who has plenty going for him beside his price at around the 3/1 mark. He won a one mile all weather handicap at Kempton, his first run since being gelded, last month with a 6lb rise and a nice draw in stall 9 looks the one to beat. Nigel Tinkler’s Isla Kai likes this track and has fallen in the weights although a wide draw in stall 18 is not ideal. Karl Burke’s Eileen Dubh also has claims having won twice over course and distance last season and can run well although he too has to navigate from a high draw in 15. One horse who does appeal to me at a price is Astro King, who it must be said was a bit of an under achiever when trained by Sir Michael Stoute at Newmarket although he did place in the Royal Hunt Cup off of a mark of 98 and behind Cruyff Turn over course and distance off of 102 back in 2021. Things didn’t pan out that well last season although he did finish 4th in the Royal Hunt Cup off of 102 when going off favourite. He’s left Stoute’s now for what appears to be a cheap £36,000 for a horse now rated 99 and joined the husband and wife team of Daniel and Claire Kubler at Lambourn. He’s won first time out twice before so maybe a absence of 215 day is not a bad thing and a plum draw in 4 makes him look even more interesting. A very tough handicap with Assessment the one to beat but no value at the price so I’ll take a chance each way with additional places with Astro King. ASTRO KING 1 point each way @ 22/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456 York 15:35 A fascinating renewal of the meeting’s feature race the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes run over 1M 2 1/2F with a healthy sized field of a dozen three year old colts attempting to put their case forward for the Epsom Derby in two weeks time. James Ferguson’s Canberra Legend is unbeaten in two including at Newmarket in listed company at the Craven meeting. He’s hard to assess but looks smart. In the same ‘could be anything’ bracket is the Sir Michael Stoute runner Passenger who ran away with the Wood Ditton at Newmarket on his only run and represents last years winning trainer and jockey combo of Stoute and Richard Kingscote who won with Desert Crown last year before going on to take the Derby a fortnight later. We have two Irish runners in the Aidan O’Brien trained unbeaten colt Continous under Ryan Moore and the Ballysax winner White Birch trained by John Joseph Murphy and ridden by Shane Foley. The latter would be the preferred of the pair and could be useful. The Godolphin operation have Flying Honours who is only officially rated a pound behind the top rated here who is Andrew Balding’s The Foxes, last seen when runner up in the Craven at Newmarket. Throw in the Gosden’s Epsom Trial winner Epictetus and we have an intriguing contest which should unravel the pecking order for the Epsom Derby. From a punting view the race looks very tough to assess but I was very taken by Passenger’s win at Newmarket and I’ll play to small stakes each way in the hope that Sir Michael Stoute has another potential Derby winner in his care. PASSENGER 1 point each way @ 11/2 bet365 1/5th 1234 York 16:10 Eleven speedy three year olds line up for this listed 5F British EBF 40th Anniversary Weston Stakes. It has quite an open feel about it with the joint two officially rated both making their seasonal re-appearances. Rocket Rodney was a smart juvenile for George Scott winning twice and placed in Group company including when going down by a neck to Little Big Bear at Royal Ascot. He can be competitive if ready to go after a 259 day layoff along with David Loughnane’s Walbank who reappears following a 295 day absence with a first time tongue tie fitted. Owners Clipper Logistics who love to have winners at York have two here in Karl Burke’s Pillow Talk and Kevin Ryan’s Silent Word. Both are speedy types who could run well. The hard one to assess has to be the Aidan O’Brien trained Hispanic who is officially only 4lb behind the highest rated and with Ryan Moore on top is another potential player. One horse who we know will be fit is the Declan Carroll trained Changeofmind who looked all about speed when beating subsequent winner Tawalla by 3L at Catterick three weeks ago and although this represents a step up in grade could be a bit of each way value here. Ridden by Harrison Shaw he can run well here and in an open contest is a tentative selection. CHANGEOFMIND 1 point each way 15/2 William Hill 1/5th 123 All odds are accurate at time of writing.

The first day of three of York’s Dante meeting starts with Ed and the gang at ITV showing the first five from the Knavesmire where the ground is good, so no real excuses. There’s also a race from down in the West Country over the jumps at Newton Abbot where they race on soft ground. Here are my free horse racing tips for the day’s terrestrial action. York 13:50 A near maximum field of seventeen go to post for this competitive 1M 4F Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap. The most interesting runner to me is the Sir Michael Stoute trained Real Dream who made a winning handicap debut at Kempton a fortnight ago and has only been raised 5lb. Ryan Moore takes over from Richard Kingscote and would have been the pick here were he not drawn out so wide in 17 of 17. Not unsurmountable but the last 9 winners of this race have been drawn 9, 7, 7, 5, 7, 6, 6, 9, 3 & 10 and Moore will have to have a serious plan to overcome racing that deep on the Knavesmire. William Haggas loves a winner here and saddles a brace of runners in Tasman Bay who’s joined Haggas’s from Sir Mark Todd and has some smart form on his CV from a couple of years back and La Yakel who is ridden by Tom Marquand and should be competitive. The Godolphin runner White Wolf looks interesting as he’s lightly raced and in first time cheek pieces is worth a close eye in the market with Oisin Murphy booked who of course rode the 1000 Guineas for the trainer earlier this month. Kevin Ryan is another trainer who loves a winner here and I do fancy his two runners here in Thundering who’s best ever run came over course and distance last year at the Ebor meeting when going down by 3/4L to Farhan and has fallen back down to the same mark today. With a run behind him on possibly unsuitable soft ground he can run well with Tom Eaves in the saddle whilst Ryan’s other runner Forza Orta was runner up in this contest last year to a Haggas improver and like his stablemate has prepped for this with a run at Thirsk last month on ground that may have also been too slow for him. Rowan Scott rides and I think the bet here is to split the stakes on the Kevin Ryan pair. THUNDERING 1 point each way @ 12/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 FORZA ORTA 1/2 point each way @ 14/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 Newton Abbot 14:05 A class 4 handicap hurdle run over 2m 2 1/2F on soft ground is next up with the race having an open look about it. Nigel Hawke’s Inferno Sacree has been in excellent form recently winning four of his last five starts with his customary front running style. He’s been shunted up 9lb for his latest win at Perth but should still be thereabouts on his favoured soft ground. Harry Fry, fresh from taking the Chester Cup on the flat last week, saddles Monjules who he himself was runner up on the level at Salisbury when last seen and is another with claims with Milton Harris’s Polyphonic’s form tied in to that one’s form. One horse that has plummeted down the handicap is top weight The Pink’n trained by Seamus Mullins and gave signs last time that he may be ready to bounce back to form especially as he’s now 20lb lower than his highest ever career mark. It would be no shock were he to run well but I have to stick with Inferno Sacree who we’re sure to get a decent run from as he’ll be out on front. INFERNO SACREE 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5th 123 York 14:25 A real cavalry charge is up next with a maximum twenty two runners spread across the track for the Churchill Tyres Handicap, a class 2 6F handicap where many hold chances. Last year’s one-two Dakota Gold (5 wins from 11 starts here) and Makanah are back to renew battle with the latter 2lb better off for a head on last year’s showing and both can run well. Kevin Ryan runs four in the apprentice ridden Aleezdancer, Magical Spirit, Bielsa and Gis A Sub and it’s the last two that appeal most to me. Bielsa ran a fine race on his re-appearance when runner up at Redcar in a race that’s worked out well with the winner and fourth winning since. He’s now on a mark 3lb lower than his impressive victory in the Ayr Gold Cup in September 2021 and should be thereabouts whilst his stablemate Gis A Sub showed up well for a long way on his re-appearance at Newmarket when 8th to Probe with four of today’s opponents behind and with a further 2lb drop in the weights looks ready to run well under Shane Gray. He was runner up in the Gimcrack over course and distance in August 2021 and looks well treated on that run alone. William Haggas’s Khanjar is another who should be taken seriously as he’s won fresh before and looks favourably treated. A typically hard York Handicap but I’ll split my stakes between two of the Ryan horses in Gis A Sub and Bielsa. BIELSA 1 point each way @ 12/1 BetVictor 1/5th 12345 GIS A SUB 1 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 York 15:00 The Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes is run over 6F and has attracted a field of eleven this year. The likely favourite is the likeable John Quinn six year old mare Highfield Princess who had a terrific season last year winning this race before going on and taking three Group ones and a good fourth in the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint. She has to shoulder a 5lb penalty for her success’s and came into this race last year having already had four runs. She’s been beaten both starts after a break of 100 days plus and may find this tough on her re-appearance. At the prices I’m happy to look elsewhere for some value. Charlie Appleby’s smart Creative Force is, surprisingly, out again quickly having won a four runner contest at Haydock last Saturday. He’s a smart sort who was placed in all the big Group one sprints last Summer and with fitness on his side can take this valuable prize. Annaf and Diligent Harry are easily over looked as they both seem better on synthetic surfaces whilst Emaraaty Ana has a patchy record when fresh. The Australian’s have always done well with their forays over here with their sprinters and send over The Astrologist with Ryan Moore booked. It’s hard to evaluate their form but would be no shock were he to run well. The biggest threat to Creative Force may come from the only three year old in the field in the shape of the Karl Burke trained Marshman who was a smart sprinting juvenile and put up a decent winning re-appearance in France when winning a Group 3 at Chantilly on soft ground over 5 1/2F in April. He handles faster ground well and I expect a big run from him especially as he can claim the 9lb weight for age allowance here. CREATIVE FORCE 2 points win @ 7/2 BetVictor 15:35 A field of eight have declared for the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, a Group 3 contest run over 1M 2 1/2F which is a trial for the Epsom Oaks. Five of the eight hold Oaks entries including the warm favourite here in the Sir Michael Stoute trained Infinite Cosmos who looked a lovely prospect when bolting up in a Newmarket maiden at the Guineas meeting 12 days ago when well backed. This is a step up in grade for her but she should be thereabouts under Ryan Moore. The form horse is arguably the Karl Burke trained Novakai who brings to the table some smart juvenile form including a 1L second in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket last October. A reproduction of that run will put her right in the mix here. Aidan O’Brien sends over his easy Gowran Park maiden winner Lambada and she’s another who’s hard to assess though as we found out at Chester last week with Savethelastdance she shouldn’t be dismissed lightly. Jack Channon introduced his Gather Ye Rosebuds at Newbury 26 days ago when she was ultra impressive in spread eagling a field of well bred fillies but the ground was heavy that day and there has to be a doubt whether she can reproduce that on this better ground. An outsider who shouldn’t be dismissed is the John and Thady Gosden trained Soul Sister. Gosden has won this race four times in the last eight years and although finishing plum last in the Fred Darling at Newbury last month is a lot better than she showed that day with the drying ground much more in her favour. She can be backed small each way (let’s hope all eight run) with the main bet having to be on the Stoute favourite Infinite Cosmos who will be fitter than most and looks the most likeliest winner. INFINITE COSMOS 2 points win @ 13/8 bet365 SOUL SISTER 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 123 York 16:10 An interesting fourteen runner class 3 three year olds only 0-95 handicap completes the day’s terrestrial action. It looks an open race with the weights headed by the Kevin Ryan trained Chuzzlewit who is the only one in the field who holds a future group entry, his being in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Roger Teal’s Caragio is an interesting contender at a price. Making his handicap debut he beat the useful 98 rated Highbank at Leicester last October and was probably undone by the heavy ground in Group company on his only start since in Group 3 company last Autumn. Archie Watson saddles the prominent Onight who’s been hard to pass when winning his last two starts on the all-weather and with Hollie Doyle on top can run well if handling the turf. Charlie Johnstone’s Hey Lyla will be fitter than most having won an Ayr maiden at the beginning of the month whilst Roger Varian’s New Endeavour re-appears having been gelded since last seen. A real minefield of a race where the market will no doubt give us plenty of clues but without them I’ll take a small each way chance with Caragio, a half brother to the connections 2000 Guineas runner up Tip Top Two, who could be well treated on his handicap debut. CARAGIO 1 point each way @ 12/1 BetVictor 12/1 1/5th 1234 All odds are accurate at time of writing.

Today’s ITV races come from Ascot where the feature race is the Victoria Cup run at 14:40 on soft ground and Lingfield where we have the Derby and Oaks trials which have been switched from the waterlogged turf course to the all weather track. There’s also the Swinton Handicap Hurdle for the National Hunt fans amongst us at Haydock. Here are my free horse racing tips for the day’s terrestrial action. Ascot 13:30 The day’s action kicks off with a ten runner 1m 4F class 3 handicap. With the ground riding soft with plenty of rain during the week I’ve only got four definite handlers of the ground so I will concentrate on that quartet. Top weight Sir Rumi, in the Amo Racing colours for Richard Hannon is up 4lb for winning in the mud at Epsom last time and has obvious claims of following up under Kevin Stott whilst Stuart William’s Rhythmic Intent has fallen to a winning mark and loves to get his toe in. He’s an interesting outsider. Hughie Morrison’s bottom weight Ravens Ark won’t mind the conditions although we haven’t seen him for 213 days whilst Nathanael Greene represents the William Haggas Newmarket based stable and also has a 189 day absence to overcome. The Haggas team having been in the best of form recently although he’s had a couple of winners this week at Chester including Hamish so it looks like they’re getting there and with 3lb claimer Adam Farragher on board should go well. He improved for first time cheek pieces when winning on soft ground at Haydock last July over 14F but maybe surprisingly doesn’t sport the pieces today. That worries me so I’ll play Sir Rumi with the proven fitness and ability to handle soft ground very much in his favour. SIR RUMI 1 point each way @ 5/1 BetVictor Lingfield 13:50 A modest class 5 56-75 handicap is surprisingly part of the ITV schedule today but as always there’s a winner to be found. Richard Hughes has booked William Buick for his top weight Winforglory who is only having his seventh career start and went down by only half a length at Chelmsford last time. He should be thereabouts along with the hat trick seeking Gold Medal trained by up and coming Newmarket handler Dylan Cunha, a Group One winning handler in South Africa. His recent win has been franked by the third winning since and a 7lb rise for his two wins may not be enough to stop him winning again under 3lb apprentice Harry Burns. Ivor Furtado’s Legal Reform is also chasing a hat trick under Richard Kingscote but I’ll play at bigger odds with Roger Teal’s My Mate Ted who’s fallen back down to his last winning mark at Kempton last August. Not disgraced in a much better race than this on his re-appearance in April he’s since run down the field in a turf handicap at Pontefract and may appreciate getting back onto a synthetic surface so can be backed each way with the only worry being Teal’s current form as he hasn’t had a winner for 35 days (26 runs). MY MATE TED 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Ascot 14:05 Another handicap, this one for fillies and mares only and run over the straight mile. Eleven go to post for this class 2 event. William Haggas saddles his handicap debutant Timeless Melody and she looks a good bet to my eyes. Trained last year by Charlie Appleby she’s now with Haggas and made a winning stable debut at Leicester last month on very soft ground. That form has already been franked by the 13 1/4L third winning a Doncaster maiden and the 14L fourth winning two low grade handicaps. She’s been allotted a mark of 80 and should be competitive today. This time of the year the three year olds receive a very healthy 13lb age allowance and we have three of them here today. Charlie Appleby’s Mountain Song is sure to be popular having won on her handicap debut at Southwell last month. But the form hasn’t been franked and she’s yet to run on turf let alone on a wet surface so she can be passed on. Charlie Fellowes three year old handicap debutant Beccara Rose looks interesting off of 81 as she still holds entries in the Derby (but not the Oaks!) and the Irish Oaks. She’s not up to that standard but can still run well despite being 2lb wrong at the weights. An interesting contest with Timeless Melody the one they all have to beat. TIMELESS MELODY 2 points win @ 3/1 bet365 Lingfield 14:25 The 7F Chartwell Fillies Stakes is a Group 3 race for three year old fillies and mares. Despite being switched on to the all weather due to the waterlogged turf course 8 of the 9 five day entries have held their ground and we have a very informative race in store. William Haggas saddles a brace of smart Filles in Queen Aminatu who’s 5 from 7 on the all weather and probably didn’t enjoy the soft turf conditions over in Ireland recently. He also sends Scared on her first ever start on the all weather and under Ryan Moore today. She’s a smart mare who should take the beating as the highest rated of the eight runners here. Andrew Balding has been in fine form of late notably when winning the 2000 Guineas with Chaldean and saddles his smart four year old Sandrine who kept the best company last season and under Oisin Murphy looks the danger to Scared here if she handles the synthetic surface for the first time. Saeed Bin Suroor fresh from winning the fillies classic with Mawj shouldn’t be dismissed here with his filly White Moonlight who is only officially 5lb behind the top rated and has by all accounts been working well with the classic winner. SACRED 2 points win @ 2/1 bet365 WHITE MOONLIGHT 1/2 point each way @ 8/1 Betfred 1/5th 123 Ascot 14:40 A bumper field of 23 line up for a wide open renewal of the Peroni Nastro Azzurro Victoria Cup run over the straight 7F. We’re looking for a soft ground 7F specialist who is drawn on the near side (high numbers) as 6 of the last 8 winners were drawn 18 or higher with the two exceptions exiting from stalls 10 and 13. Since 2013 only four horses have made the frame from single figure stalls. Which is all a shame as most of the horses I like here are drawn low! Those include 2021 winner River Nymph (stall 9) Lincoln 3rd Baradar (who would have been my number one pick bar the draw in 7) and top weight Spycatcher (stall 6) who looked so good last time and is a real 7F specialist. I’ll take a chance each way with the additional places on the George Boughey trained Totally Charming who will be coming out of stall 13 and has the assistance of the 3lb claiming super kid Billy Loughnane. A heavy ground winner at Doncaster over 7F last October he wasn’t disgraced when 7th (beaten 2 3/4L) in the Irish Lincoln at The Curragh in March from a bad draw. He ticks a lot of boxes and should run well and give Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane his biggest winner to date. TOTALLY CHARMING 1 point each way @ 7/1 1/5th 123456 Lingfield 15:00 The first of the two classic trials is the Fitzdares Oaks Trial, a listed race run over the Oaks distance of 1M 4F. Only three of the nine hold the Epsom Oaks entry. Aidan O’Briens Be Happy is one of them and has shown enough in her three career starts to be very competitive here although there has to be a question mark over the surface as all of her outings have been on soft ground. Karl Burke has had a decent spring and sends his Oaks entry Bright Diamond here. The highest rated of the nine (4lb superior to Be Happy) she was an impressive Newmarket maiden winner on her debut last August and has followed that up with two decent efforts in Group company. She looks the one to be with today with Sam James in the saddle. Ed Walker’s Perfect Prophet is the third Epsom Oaks entry and cold run well especially as she’s already won on the all weather last season at Kempton. Charlie Appleby runs a brace of improving fillies although neither looks anything too special with stable jockey William Buick apparently choosing Eternal Hope the pick. This may end up being fought out by Be Happy and Bright Diamond with preference for the latter. BRIGHT DIAMOND 1 point each way @ 5/1 Betfred 1/5th 123 Haydock 15:15 A highly competitive renewal of the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle run over just short of two miles. Harry Derham is having a terrific first season as a fully fledged trainer having spent many years as Paul Nicholls’s assistant and can top the season by winning this valuable prize with his handicap debutant Brentford Hope who’s won two novice hurdles for Derham latterly at Huntingdon when defeating a promising sort of Nicky Hendersons. His initial mark of 123 looks workable in context with his flat mark of 102 under Paul O’Bien who’s been in the saddle for his last two victories. I fancied Paramount strongly at Aintree when he went off too fast and he’s better than that if his jockey Aidan Coleman, who replaces 7lb conditional Bradley Roberts, gets the fractions right. He has to be part of the staking plan. There are many others who could be fancied including Charles Byrne’s Byker who was last seen when being edged out in the Boodles Juvenile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham. 4th higher today but he should be thereabouts. Top weight and Betfair Hurdle winner Aucunrisque shouldn’t be dismissed nor Olly Murphy’s Washington. BRENTFORD HOPE 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5th 12345 PARRAMOUNT 1/2 point each way @ 9/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 Lingfield 15:35 The 1M 4F Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial is a listed race that as it says on the tin is a trial for the Epsom Derby in three weeks time. Often a springboard to Derby success the race has attracted eight of which five have the Epsom Derby entry. The likely favourite and the one they all have to beat is Charlie Appleby’s promising Military Order who is a full brother to the 2021 Derby winner Adayar who was actually 2nd in this race prior to taking the big prize. Military Order made a successful re-appearance when winning at Newbury over 10F and will be hard to beat for the boys in blue under William Buick. Sir Michael Stoute’s Circle Of Fire split two Appleby runners in listed company at Newmarket on his re-appearance and should also run well although one would think that Military Order is higher in the pecking order at Moultons Paddocks than Castle Way who beat Circle Of Fire last time. John and Thady Gosden have sent out some smart performers on their debuts at Newcastle and their Inquiring Minds looks above average on his debut at the North Eastern track just 11 days ago coasting home against moderate opposition. He could be anything and was put into the Group 2 King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last week. They’ll be some long faces at Appleby’s if they can’t win this en route to a tilt at The Derby and he’s the bet here. MILITARY ORDER 3 points win @ 5/4 bet365 All odds are accurate at the time of writing.

The final day of three on the Roodeye for Chester’s May meeting with the feature race of the meeting the Chester Cup due off at 15:15. The ground is now riding very soft there and the ITV cameras are also showing a race from the decent Ascot card on very soft ground. Here’s my free horse racing tips for this afternoon’s terrestrial action. Chester 13:30 The days action at the Roodeye kicks off with a 13 runner class 2 handicap run over 7F 127 yards. Tim Easterby’s Boardman has a good record here of 2 wins from 6 starts and won’t mind the mud. He’s a player from stall 4 whilst Revich is another with course form (2 wins from 9) and ran 3rd in this last year (Boardman 5th when favourite)and is another with solid claims. Bottom weight Wobwobwob has plenty going for him though and is the tentative selection. A horse who likes to front run so is well berthed in stall one to attack and loves the mud. Adrian Paul Keatley’s gelding bumped into a well handicapped Haggas horse last time when runner up to Al Mubhir at Leicester and just 4lb higher than his Catterick win last October can be backed each way under jockey Leigh Roche. WOBWOBWOB 1 point each way @ 6/1 1/5th 1234 bet365 ASCOT 13:50 Only six line up here for this valuable 7F three year old only 0-105 handicap. The ground is going to quiet testing here today and I’ve put a line through the trio of Oj Lifestyle, Tawafag and Dark Trooper who have all only raced on a sound surface. Top weight Scholarship is up 7lb for his Newbury soft ground victory last month and has claims for Clive Cox as does Charlie Johnstone’s In These Shoes who has to shoulder a 5lb rise for her Beverley victory a fortnight ago. The horse I like though is the Charlie Hills trained Racingbreaks Ryder who’s chasing his fourth win on the bounce having risen just 11lb for that trio of victories. His latest win at Haydock last month has been given a big boost since by the victory of the third Royal Rhyme who ran out a 5L winner at Newmarket last week. He may still be ahead of the assessor and holds a big chance. RACINGBREAKS RYDER 2 points win @ 11/4 BetVictor Chester 14:05 Another handicap with this one run over 1M 2 1/2F for horses rated 86-105 and four year olds and upwards. Last year’s one - two are back in winner Baryshnikov and runner up Cap Francais with the latter now 6lb better off for a length although he may not handle ground as bad as it’s likely to be as well as the former who is trained by David and Nicola Barron and has won three of his four career starts here. A draw of 7 of 10 is no disaster and he has the services of Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane who can still claim 3lb. The ground shouldn’t be a problem and off of the same handicap mark as last year he looks the one to be with. Ryan Moore has got on the Sean Woods trained Savvy Victory and from the plum stall 1 draw should run well although is racing off of his highest ever handicap mark. Andrew Balding, who has his string in excellent shape saddles Groundbreaker in a first time combination of a tongue tie and a hood plus a gelding operation but has yet to encounter bad ground and is overlooked for that reason alone. I’m happy to stick with the course form of Baryshnikov who can be backed each way and looks sure to be thereabouts. BARYSHNIKOV 1 point each way @ 5/1 1/5th 123 BetVictor Chester 14:40 The only Group race on the final day is the Group 2 Huxley Stakes which is run over 1M 2 1/2F and has attracted a small but select field of six. A strong fancy here is the Aidan O’Brien trained Point Lonsdale who was a smart juvenile back in 2021 winning all bar one of his five starts (twice in soft ground) and after flopping on his only run as a three year old when only 11/2 in the 2000 Guineas bounced back in no uncertain matter after a near year off when a cosy 1 1/2L winner of the Group 3 Alleged Stakes at The Curragh on heavy ground from Visulation and Lafayette (re-opposes here and safely held)who subsequently filled the first two positions in the Group 2 Mooresbridge Stakes at the same track. Smart form indeed and with Ryan Moore riding will be very hard to beat. William Haggas was back among the winners on the first day and his Mujtaba is actually rated a pound higher than Point Lonsdale and will have his conditions here having won twice in soft/heavy. Impressive when last seen at Newbury in October he can chase home the favourite if straight enough. Poker Face failed to beat Ottoman Fleet at Newmarket in the Earl Of Sefton on his re-appearance following some good work at Newmarket this Spring and that form looks even better now that the winner has won a Grade 2 in America. He’s only 6lb behind the top rated Mujtaba and can also run well for the Crisfords. POINT LONSDALE 2 points win @ 6/4 BetVictor Chester 15:15 Next up is the meetings feature race in the Chester Cup run over 2m 2 1/2F which has attracted a maximum field of seventeen. It has a very open look about it this year. Not as classy a renewal as usual with the draw and ground the two major factors here. Call My Bluff ticks many of the boxes as loving the soft ground, has good form at the track and is well drawn. He’s the main bet although if we back him we must have a small each way saver on Emiyn who’s form ties in with his. Falcon Eight has won this race before and has been lucky with the draw and is another one for the shortlist from the in form Dermot Weld yard with Ryan Moore booked. Another with claims is Harry Fry’s Metier who took last season’s November Handicap at Doncaster on heavy ground and will relish the soft conditions. CALL MY BLUFF 2 points each way @ 10/1 1/5th 12345 bet365 EMIYN 1 point each way @ 11/1 1/5th 12345 William Hill METIER 1/2 point each way @ 10/1 1/5th 12345 Boylesports Chester 15.45 A strange race for ITV to finish their weekly coverage with but there’s a winner to be found in this 1m 4 1/2F class 2 maiden with just six going to post. Easily the most interesting here has to be the William Haggas trained Medieval Gold who is one of just four Haggas entries for this year’s Epsom Derby. By Derby winner Camelot he wouldn’t need to be anywhere near that standard to win this on his debut with the highest rated of his opponents rated 80. That is Michael Bell’s Banderas who went down by a head at Newbury in bad ground on his third start to the Haggas newcomer Klondike. That’s better form than Charlie Johnstone’s Kingsley Pride who’s already had a few chances and was well beaten on heavy ground last time at Ripon. Trainer Johnstone also saddles a Qatar Racing newcomer in King Of The Plains. The market here will be most informative but at this stage I’ll take a chance with the Haggas newcomer with the fancy entry to make a winning debut under Richard Kingscote who rides this track so well. MEDIEVAL GOLD 1 point win @ 4/1 bet365

Thanks @Alastair

Day two of the Chester May meeting features the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes and the listed Dee Stakes and will be run on easy ground with the current ground called good to soft (soft in places)although that could ease with plenty more rain in the forecast. The ITV cameras also bring us a class 4 race from the all weather at Southwell. Here are my free horse racing tips for day’s terrestrial action. Chester 13:30 The second day kicks off with an eight runner class 2 5F handicap. The draw is of obvious importance here again and I could fancy Andrew Balding’s top weight King’s Lynn if he were drawn lower (he’s drawn 8 of 8 today) especially with Ryan Moore riding. He can still run well as can George Boughey’s Navello who has winning course form here (2 wins from 5 starts) and has fallen to a nice mark. He also sports a first time tongue tie and looks a value each way play. Look Out Louis is unbeaten in three starts at this turning track including this race last year but has not fared well with the draw and is a stone higher than last years win. Lihou arrives in very good form, taking his good all weather form onto the turf with an Epsom victory a fortnight ago and with just a 2lb rise is another with every chance. A tricky race but I’ll chance the Boughey runner who is 5lb lower than his last win which came here last June and should appreciate stepping back onto the turf with course specialist jockey Franny Norton in the saddle. Let’s hope all eight run as he can be backed each way. NAVELLO 1 point each way @ 15/2 William Hill Southwell 13:50 An eight runner class 4 0-85 3 year old handicap is up next. Ed Bethell has his string in good form and saddles Yorkshire here who came from some way back to get up on the line here in March over 6F and stepping up a furlong may well suit this son of Harry Angel although that form is not working out that well. Preference is for the Archie Watson trained A Taste Of Honey who bowled along in front when beating a subsequent winner at Lingfield on her re-appearance and with Hollie Doyle taking over from Luke Morris could be the answer with just a 3lb rise to overcome. The Simon and Ed Crisford trained Choisya also comes into the reckoning on her latest run ten weeks ago when runner up at Kempton but it’s A Taste Of Honey for me. A TASTE OF HONEY 2 points win @ 9/2 William Hill Chester 14:05 A field of nine assemble for this 7F 127 yard class 2 0-100 three year old handicap. John and Thady Gosden’s top weight Theoryofeverything is making his handicap debut and has plenty going for him bar his outside draw. A winner at Doncaster on his debut and third in the Greenham he has a Group 1 St James Palace Stakes and Dante entries so is obviously well thought of. If James Doyle can overcome that wide draw he should be thereabouts. Andrew Balding’s Vetiver is also making his handicap debut and having made all to win at Beverley last time could have been let in lightly off of 90 and from stall 3 is my idea of the likeliest winner. Promoter’s Chepstow win at Chepstow last September came at the expense of a Charlie Hills horse who has won three times since and is currently rated 90. Promoter gave him 7lb and a 1 1/2L beating that day so looks interesting off of only 90 himself from stall 1. It’s hard to split them three but at the prices I’ll take Ralph Beckett’s Promoter each way with a small win saver on Vetiver. PROMOTER 1 point each way @ 9/1 bet365 1/5th 123 VETIVER 1 point @ 7/2 William Hill Chester 14:40 Eight go to post for the listed Boodles Dee Stakes run over 1m 2 1/2F. It has an open look about it this year with possibly Sir Michael Stoute’s Wood Ditton winner Passenger worth an each way bet. It’s rare for a Stoute horse to win first time out but this son of Ulysses won well that day despite being easy to back in the market. He’s one of just two horses in the field that have no future group entries (outsider Afterwards is the other) but I do know that Ryan Moore was very impressed that day and he can run well. Moore has to ride for his retained Ballydoyle owners and San Antonio who broke his duck in a Dundalk maiden and although that form wouldn’t be good enough has to be respected as his trainer Aidan O’Brien has won 7 of the last 10 renewals of this race. The Godolphin runner Local Dynasty must also have claims although he has to shoulder a 3lb penalty today. The other Irish challenger Alder is trainer by Aidan O’Brien’s son Donnacha and arguably brings the best form to the table as he was placed behind Auguste Rodin in a Group 2 as a juvenile and was a ready winner at Cork last month. A tough contest with so much un tapped potential but let’s give Passenger a go under Richard Kingscote for the same combo as last year’s Epsom Derby victors. PASSENGER 1 point each way @ 5/1 William Hill 1/5th 123 Chester 15:15 A decent renewal of the 1m 5 1/2F Group 3 Ormonde Stakes which has attracted a field of 8. Last year’s winner Hamish must go close on his favoured easy ground and even with his 3lb penalty for his Ascot win last October is the highest rated of these. He was beaten close home by the re-opposing Max Vega at Newbury in the St Simon Stakes at Newbury last October and his stable could be in better form with just 2 winners from their last 19 runners. Israr runs here rather than carrying a big weight in the Chester Cup later in the week and won’t mind the soggy conditions but his last run last year was disappointing and has 8lb officially to find with Hamish. The horse who I think will take plenty of beating though is the Aidan O’Brien runner Changingoftheguard who was so impressive at this meeting last year when running out a 6L winner from New London in the Chester Vase. A credible 5th in the Epsom Derby followed before a a short head victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, missing out for a penalty for this race by a couple of months. O’Brien and Ryan Moore do so well at this meeting that he must hold a big chance. CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD 2 points win @ 3/1 William Hill Chester 15:45 A maximum field of fourteen line up for this 1m 2 1/2F class 3 handicap for 4 year olds and upwards rated 0-90. The race has a wide open look about it with plenty holding claims. Local handler Hugo Palmer would love a winner around here and saddles Box To Box who’s unbeaten in two starts here and should run well if James Doyle can navigate a passage from stall 12 of 14. Andrew Balding’s City Streak ran a good second here over course and distance last summer and hasn’t been disgraced in two starts since. Proven on soft ground he could well be the answer with plenty in his favour under Oisin Murphy from stall 8. Richard Hannon’s Amo Racing owned Thunder Max is blinkered for the first time but has questions to answer on rain softened ground. A tough race but I’ll stick with 2000 Guineas winning trainer Andrew Balding and his City Streak. CITY STREAK 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5th 123 All odds accurate at the time of writing

Not sure they'll be any Koukash runners this week, the chaps not had a runner this year and the rumours are hes chucked it in

The ITV cameras are at the Roodeye for the Chester three day May meeting where the ground is currently good to soft but with plenty of showers around this week could easily soften. It’s the Oaks trial today at 14:40. Here’s my thoughts on the day’s terrestrial action. Chester 13:30 The Chester three day May meeting kicks off with the 5F Lily Agnes Stakes for two year olds. As always a low draw is mightily important especially on the first two days before the rails are taken in. Local handler Hugo Palmer saddles a brace of runners in the unraced Tierney ridden by Oisin Murphy (stall 5) and last month’s Musselburgh winner Balon D’Or (stall 11). The form of the latter has worked out well with the runner up and fourth both winning since but I could never back a horse drawn out that wide over 5F and I’ll be looking elsewhere for a bet. Amy Murphy’s Myconian has already won a race in France, for which he’s penalised 3lb for today, but disappointed on his British debut. The horse that takes my eye is the Richard Hannon trained Ziggy’s Phoenix who has the best draw in stall one especially as she showed plenty of early toe when making most to win at Ripon on soft ground under Joe Fanning last month. That form is probably slightly inferior to Balon D’Or’s but with the ideal berth can make all if not most. Alice Hayne’s Ziggy’s Dream (watch your betting slips there!) also made all when winning on her racecourse debut at Doncaster 11 days ago and from stall 6 will also be pushing for a share of the lead whilst the Irish challenger Parkside Boy is very hard to get a handle on as he won a four runner maiden on the all-weather at Dundalk last month beating an odds on shot of Aidan O’Briens. With everything in her favour it’s Ziggy’s Phoenix for me. ZIGGYS PHOENIX 2 points win @ 11/4 bet365 Chester 14:05 A dozen three year old speedsters go to post for this class 3 5F 76-95 handicap. Without a doubt the one they all have to beat is the Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane ridden Jer Batt who ran out a comfortable winner at Musselburgh under Loughnane ten days ago and as that was an apprentice handicap gets no penalty here. He has however been given the worst draw in 12 and although I’m already a paid up member of the Billy Loughnane fan club this will be his first ever ride at the Roodeye and I will have to give him a swerve here. On a positive note he’ll take a good percentage out of the market and hopefully make others better value. Democracy Dilemma did it well under Hollie Doyle at Thirsk 18 days ago and she is replaced by 1000 Guineas winning rider of the weekend Oisin Murphy from stall 8. He can run well but there’s a horse who ran against him last time in the Declan Carroll trained Seantrabh who maybe able to turn the tables now with that run behind him (his first for 179 days) and on 10lb better terms (if taking jockey Zak Wheatley’s claim into account). He faded inside the final furlong that day as if the run was needed and the Tasleet gelding obviously enjoys the mud as he ran out a 3L winner on soft at Catterick as a juvenile. With 4 places and from stall 3 he’s my fancy. The George Boughey trained William Buick ridden Danger Alert has claims although was tailed off on his only run here last season (although the bit did slip from his mouth so he had a valid excuse.) SEANTRABH 1 point each way @ 6/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Chester 14:40 Next up is the 1m 3 1/2F listed Cheshire Oaks which has attracted a field of nine. There have been very strong vibes from Ireland over the last fortnight for the Epsom Oaks from the Aidan O’Brien trained Savethelastdance and she’s been backed down into favouritism at around 6/1. She steps up from a maiden win at Leopardstown over 10F on heavy ground six weeks ago to contest this under Ryan Moore with that maiden form working out very well with the two that followed the 2 1/4L winner home winning since. 6 of the 9 hold the Epsom Oaks entry including Ralph Beckett’s Luckin Brew and she maybe the biggest threat to the favourite here. Last seen when runner up to the 100 rated Godolphin colt Local Dynasty in Pontefract’s Silver Tankard Stakes last October she has the assistance of 2000 Guineas winning jockey from the weekend Frankie Dettori in the same partial ownership as Savethelastdance. This looks all about the favourite and she’s not only a confident selection but it’s worth taking the 6/1 now for the Oaks as a win could see her odds tumble. SAVETHELASTDANCE 4 points win @ 10/11 Unibet SAVETHELASTDANCE (Epsom Oaks) 2 points win @ 6/1 bet365 Chester 15:15 Only five have declared for this year’s renewal of the Boodles Chester Vase, a Group 3 contest run over 1m 4F. We have a very warm favourite in the John and Thady Gosden trained Arrest who can put himself firmly in the Epsom Derby picture by winning. He won’t mind any ease in the ground having chased home the 2000 Guineas 5th Dubai Mile in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud on heavy ground last October. 6L back in third that day was the Aidan O’Brien trained Adelaide River who re-opposes here and it’s hard, on that piece of form, to believe he can turn the tables on his old rival. He could however chase Arrest home today under Ryan Moore. I find it hard to fancy the other three here all of whom are not entered in the Derby. Duke Of Oxford is unbeaten in two all weather starts but this will be a totally different ball game whilst Galactic Jack has officially 24 lb to find with Arrest and the Charlie Johnstone runner Hadrianus, who was runner up to the favourite’s stable mate Epictetus in the Epsom Derby Trial has a squeak. This should go to Areest and as he’s too short maybe a forecast for him to beat his old advisory Adelaide River is the bet. ARREST to beat ADELAIDE RIVER 1 point straight forecast Chester 15:45 Another sprint handicap this time over 6F for three year olds in this class 3 71-90 handicap which has attracted a maximum field of fourteen. Once again the draw is a massive factor when determining the outcome with top weight Frankness, a dual course winner not faring well in stall 12 and is overlooked for that reason only in her first handicap. Likely favourite is the Richard Hannon trained Royal Dress who looked an improver when winning a 6F soft ground novice stakes at Doncaster 12 days ago and from stall 3 on his handicap debut looks to hold a major chance. George Boughey’s California Gem has claims with a run behind him now and his ability to handle soft ground, the softer the better for him whilst the bottom weight Tasever of Tim Easterby’s is at the right end of the handicap and is well drawn although he’ll need to step up on his recent form to feature here. One horse I think could run well but only if the rain stayed away is the Adrian Nicholls trained King’s Crown who is unproven on soft ground but ran a stormer for a 40/1 chance on his re-appearance when 5th only beaten 4L in a better class 6F handicap than this at Newmarket that has worked out very well. The runner up that day Yacowlef and third Shoukdhavebeenaring both won nice races last week at Newmarket and from stall 8 is worth a small each way wager on that last run alone. ROYAL DRESS 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365 KING’S CROWN 1/2 point each way @ 12/1 bet365

It’s the fairer sex’s day at Newmarket today with their first classic the 1000 Guineas the feature race and one of four races covered by ITV today where the ground is currently good but with plenty of showers forecast could easily turn on the soft side. They also treat us to a handicap from both Salisbury and Hamilton where they both race on a good to soft terrain. Here’s my thoughts on the day’s six terrestrial television races. Newmarket 13:50 We kick off today with a highly competitive nineteen runner 14F class 2 handicap. The weights are headed by William Haggas’s Roberto Escobar but with a few of the Haggas runners disappointing recently can safely be overlooked. Last year’s winner Cemhaan, trained by George Baker is back to defend his title having had his wind tinkered with since we last saw him some 183 days ago. He’s 9lb higher than last year when he had had a run so I’ll be looking elsewhere today. Jamie Osborne’s Duty Of Care has been running well this year on the all weather and as a half brother to the smart Expert Eye shouldn’t mind reverting to the turf. A first time tongue tie is a bit concerning but can still run well. Another who has been running well on synthetic surfaces this year is Alan King’s HMS President who’ actually finished runner up on 6 of his last 7 starts. He could be a player here. A watchful eye must be kept on the Tony Martin challenger Firstman who has been in form at Dundalk this winter. A rare runner here for the shrewd Irish handler and must be watched in the market. A wide open race with no standout bets with maybe a small each way wager on HMS President with Rossa Ryan on board is the way to go. HMS PRESIDENT 1/2 point each way @ 10/1 William Hill 1/5th 12345 Hamilton 14:05 Next up is a 1M 5F class 3 0-95 handicap which has attracted ten runners. Easily the most interesting runner here is the Roger Varian trained Postileo who we haven’t seen for 562 days since winning at Doncaster. Gelded since and now a pound higher he should run well as one of two that Newmarket trainer Varian has brought up to Scotland for today’s meeting. Keith Dagleish’s Good Show was a big flop on his re-appearance at Musselburgh four weeks ago and can do better surely whilst Zimmerman ran a good race on his re-appearance at Thirsk when a seemingly unfancied 16/1 chance in running Chillingham to a couple of lengths. Only a pound higher now he can be thereabouts especially with this two furlong trip likely to much more in his favour and he’s the tentative pick in a race that is dominated by the fitness of Postileo who may just be undone after a long layoff by the race fitness of Tim Easterby’s four year old who will enjoy any cut in the ground. ZIMMERMAN 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365 1/5 123 Newmarket 14:25 Ten three year old staying fillies line up for the listed 10F Pretty Polly Stakes which is traditionally used as a stepping stone to the Epsom Oaks. Only four of the ten hold the Oaks entry at this stage mind. John and Thady Gosden saddle a brace of runners here in Running Lion who’s run up a hat trick on synthetic surfaces this winter and Tarjamah, a Wolverhampton winner in December. Preference would be for the former who looks battle hardened and can go close. There’s plenty of unexposed types lurking here though including the Andrew Balding trained Floating Spirit who’s won both starts this year on all weather surfaces and has the assistance of Ryan Moore today. She has no fancy entries going forward mind. Charlie Appleby saddles a pair of promising fillies in Queen Of Fairies who won on her debut at Southwell last December and is the pick of William Buick over Joyful Act, a winner at Newcastle last month and James Doyle’s mount. Ralph Beckett’s Trust The Stars is one of the quartet that hold an Oaks entry and shouldn’t be dismissed either for a trainer that does so well with his classic generation fillies. A tough race where the market will be very informative. Without those clues I’ll take Charlie Appleby’s Queen Of Fairies, a Cracksman filly who may improve for getting on to the turf. QUEEN OF FAIRIES 1 point win @ 10/3 bet365 Salisbury 14:40 Nine runners have declared for this 1M 6F class 3 0-95 handicap. John and Thady Gosden have the likely favourite here in Mr Inspiration who is making is turf debut having won two of his five starts so far on synthetic surfaces. A 4lb rise for his latest win which came at Lingfield in an apprentice handicap on All-Weather Championships day looks fair enough and if he can take to the turf has solid claims. Any more rain at the Wiltshire track will suit Richard Hannon’s top weight Sir Rumi, owned by Amo Racing and ridden by Pat Dobbs who was last seen winning the prestigious Great Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom 12 days ago. Bottom weight Whimsy shouldn’t be dismissed as he is two from two here and having been running on the all weather should appreciate the return to turf although he does have to prove his stamina. I’ll stick with Sir Rumi who did it in good style at Epsom with any more rain playing into his hands. SIR RUMI 1 point win @ 4/1 BetVictor Newmarket 15:00 Nine fillies or mares go to post for the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes. The best in at the weights is Ralph Beckett’s Prosperous Voyage who was a Group one winner of the Falmouth Stakes on the July course last Summer and has the assistance for the first time of Frankie Dettori. If straight enough she should run well. Charlie Appleby’s globe trotting With The Moonlight who was last seen when runner up at Keeneland in a Grade one in April has to carry a 3lb penalty for her victories in Dubai in February. A winner of the Pretty Polly on this card last year she should be competitive although any easing of the ground would be against her. Master French trainer Andre Fabre sends over a brace of fillies with the pick of them being the Mickael Barzalona ridden Life In Motion who would be suited by any rain. She comes here fit having won at Longchamp 17 days ago in listed company and the fact that Fabre sends her over should be heeded. He also saddles Hidden Dimples with Ryan Moore in the saddle but she is officially rated a 7lb inferior horse to her stablemate. Pam Sly brings her very easy listed winner from Doncaster’s opening turf meeting Astral Beau to the races but she would need very soft ground for her to come into the equation. Add in the two Shadwell fillies Shaara trained by the Gosden’s and Al Husn from the Roger Varian camp and you have the makings of a very informative contest. Backing Andre Fabre runners on our shores over the years has been a profitable exercise and I’ll take the race fit Life In Motion who races in the royal blue Godolphin colours to take this. LIFE IN MOTION 2 points win @ 7/2 William Hill Newmarket 15:40 A bumper field of twenty three year old fillies line up for the first classic of the season for the fillies in the 1000 Guineas run over the straight mile of the Rowley Mile course. We have a warm favourite here in last years top rated juvenile Tahiyra. Trained by the wily Dermot Weld she looked very special when easily dispatching of today’s second favourite Mediate at The Curragh in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes in September. She looked very useful that day and can take this before a fruitful season as she moves up in trip (her half sister Tarnawa stayed well). Any more rain would help her chances as she has only run on a rain softened surface. Aidan O’Brien saddles Mediate who went on from her defeat at the hands of Tahiyra to win the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. She should run well but I can’t see any reason why she should reverse the form with Dermot Weld’s filly. Dream Of Love looks the pick of the two Charlie Appleby runners having come from some way back to chase home Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj in Dubai in January on soft ground and as that was only her third ever run should have plenty of improvement to come. Frankie Dettori gets his leg over Ralph Beckett’s Lezoo, who was last seen beating Mediate by 3/4L in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes here last September. She’s yet to race on an easy surface however and beyond 6F so has stamina to prove. Richard Hannon’s Mammas Girl ran out a comfortable winner of the main trial, the Nell Gwyn Stakes over 7F of this track 18 days ago with three of these behind her. A draw of 20 of 20 may not be ideal however. The other recognised 1000 trial, the Fred Darling at Newbury was won by Ralph Beckett’s Remarquee by a neck from Hugo Palmer’s Stenton Glider (Embrace back in 4th)and will appreciate any ease in the ground. Whether that form is good enough is debatable. If Tahiyra is the same horse she was as a two year old with any rain coming in her favour and her draw of 15 hopefully not hindering her then she could outclass these and is a confident selection even if her trainer Dermot Weld could be in better form. TAHIYRA 3 points win @ 5/2 BetVictor all odds accurate at time of writing

Hi Libby, Welcome to the forum. Check out @Darran piece earlier on for his thoughts on tonights hunter chase card as well - great reading. Good luck with your selections. Might be worth, in future, adding to the days thread as that's where this should be.

2000 Guineas Tips, Trends & Analysis (06/05/23) - Newmarket 16:40 The 2000 Guineas is run over the straight mile of the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket and is the first classic of the season and also the first leg of the Triple Crown (followed by The Derby and St Leger). Aidan O’Brien has won the race a record ten times and saddles the front two in the market this afternoon. Godolphin took the prize last year with a one - two and they also have a brace entered. Here are my horse racing tips on this year’s 2000 Guineas which is set to take place at 16:40. AUGUSTE RODIN Trainer: A P O’Brien jockey: Ryan Moore A warm favourite who’s been steadily backed throughout the week. A top two year old last year winning three of his four starts (was an unlucky loser on debut). Progressing through an odds on winner of a Naas maiden to Group 2 and Group 1 victories on soft ground. The latter win came in the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster by 3 1/2L from subsequent Epsom Trial winner Epictetus. Looks a true stayer who will stay the Derby trip and can go well as long as he doesn’t find this trip of a mile on the short side especially were the ground to dry up. CHALDEAN Trainer: Andrew Balding Jockey: Frankie Dettori The second top rated horse in the line up, this Juddmonte owned Frankel colt bids to give Frankie Dettori a classic in his final year riding and his fourth 2000 Guineas throughout his illustrious career. A smart juvenile who won 4 of his 5 starts culminating in a Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes victory here in October over 7F from the re-opposing Royal Scotsman. His re-appearance in the Greenham at Newbury a fortnight ago was a non event when the horse was bumped into on leaving the stalls dis-lodging Dettori. He ran the race without a jockey finishing just behind the eventual winner Isaac Shelby. A far from ideal prep for today but on his two year old form looks to hold a strong chance. CHARYN Trainer: Roger Varian Jockey: Tom Marquand One of two Roger Varian trained runners in the field. A Group 2 Chantilly winner last year over 6F in the mud he ran a fine race on his re-appearance in the Greenham at Newbury when finishing runner up (beaten 3L) by Isaac Shelby. Speedy type who is not guaranteed to see out the extra furlong today and trainer has bigger hopes with Sakheer. DUBAI MILE Trainer: Charlie Johnstone Jockey: Daniel Muscutt Progressive as a juvenile winning at Windsor and Kempton in novice company prior to stepping up a grade when runner up to The Foxes in the Royal Lodge over a mile here and then putting up a career best when beating John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud in October by a head. That was over 10F and I’m not sure if dropping back to a mile is going to suit this son of Roaring Lion. FLIGHT PLAN Trainer: Karl Burke Jockey: Daniel Tudhope One of three runners in the race for Northern trainer Karl Burke. Takes a big step up in class here having won a novice stakes at Newcastle last November and just been run out of it close home at the same track in April in a one mile listed contest. Hard to fancy on the form book but his trainer was sounding positive about his place chances earlier in the week. GALERON Trainer: Charlie Hills Jockey: Kieran Shoemark Finished 2 1/4L behind Flight Plan in listed company at Newcastle on All-Weather Championships day in April. Hard to fancy on all known form and is official rated 27lb behind the top rated Little Big Bear here. Would be a major shock were he to win. HI ROYAL Trainer: Kevin Ryan Jockey: Oisin Murphy Another taking a massive step up in grade. A winner of a novice stakes at Ayr last September he started this campaign with a 2 1/4L 4th to Majestic Pride over 7F at the Craven meeting and hard to give this Northern raider any chance. HOLLOWAY BOY Trainer: Karl Burke Jockey: Christophe Soumillon A 40/1 winner at Royal Ascot in the Chesham Stakes on his career debut last June and proved that no fluke by being placed in group company four times afterwards. Most recently when 5 1/4L third to today’s favourite Auguste Rodin in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster in October. Not seen since but capable of running well fresh and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him run well. INDESTRUCTIBLE Trainer: Karl Burke Jockey: Kevin Stott Was a smart two year when trained in Ireland by Michael O’Callaghan finishing runner up to Chaldean twice, by 1/2L at York in the Acomb Stakes and by 3 1/2L in the Champagne Stakes the following month at Doncaster. Took a keen hold on re-appearance when pulling himself into the lead but keeping on well to beat The Foxes in the Craven Stakes. Seems a big price for a horse who’s won a respected trial and ran Chaldean so close last season. LITTLE BIG BEAR Trainer: A P O’Brien Jockey: Wayne Lordan The highest rated in the field by 5lb and upwards. A very smart two year old last year winning four of his five starts including the listed Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, Group 3 Anglesey Stakes and the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh. Yet to race beyond 6F so definite doubts over whether he will stay a mile although there’s enough in his breeding (Dam is a daughter of 12F horse Bering and won over 10F herself) to suggest he will. Ryan Moore appears to favour Auguste Rodin but there may not be a great deal in it and can run well. NOBLE STYLE Trainer: Charlie Appleby Jockey: James Doyle One of two Charlie Appleby trained colts. Unbeaten as a two year old winning novice events at Ascot and Newmarket over 5F and 6F prior to to taking the Gimcrack Stakes at York over 6F in August. William Buick appears to have chosen Silver Knott over his stable mate and not certain to stay a mile as dam Eartha Kitt was a sprinter who won at 6F. ROYAL SCOTSMAN Trainer: Paul & Oliver Cole Jockey: Jim Crowley Kept good company as a juvenile winning twice at Goodwood including the Group 2 Richmond Stakes before ending his campaign with an excellent head second to Chaldean in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes here over 7F. Extra furlong should suit and connections sounded quietly bullish earlier in the week. SAKHEER Trainer: Roger Varian Jockey: David Egan Speedy two year old who followed up a very comfortable Haydock 6F win in September by running out a highly impressive 3 1/2L winner of the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury a fortnight later. Yet to race beyond 6F and had a racecourse spin recently with top sprinter Mitbaahy. Looks useful but a very big question mark over his ability to stay a mile. SILVER KNOT Trainer: Charlie Appleby Jockey: William Buick Smart two year old who steadily progressed through to winning the Group 3 Autumn Stakes over course and distance in October and went down by the narrowest of margins in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland. Worked well at this track during the Craven meeting and is apparently the pick of William Buick of the Godolphin pair . Qipco 2000 Guineas Tips The first colts classic of the 2023 turf season is as intriguing as ever. Aiden O’Brien sets a poser by saddling both last year’s top rated two year old Little Big Bear and the highly promising Auguste Rodin. Ryan Moore appears to have chosen the latter but it can’t have been an easy decision with his mount ideally needing further so any rain before race time would suit him. In contrast Little Big Bear who will be ridden by Wayne Lordan looks fast and has doubts about seeing out a mile although his breeding suggests he may well stay a mile. Chaldean comes here as a smart juvenile who's attempt at having a prep run ended in disaster with Frankie Dettori unseated at the stalls in the Greenham at Newbury a fortnight ago. He should be thereabouts and Dettori will be hoping for a classic win in his final year race riding. Sakheer may well struggle staying the mile whilst the pick of the Godolphin pair may well be Silver Knott although he was behind Chaldean last year and his stable seem to be struggling for top form at the moment. Royal Scotsman should not be overlooked either but I’ll take Little Big Bear to score for team Ballydoyle as he was the best of these as a juvenile and although there’s plenty of talk about him not staying his pedigree suggests otherwise. LITTLE BIG BEAR 2 points each way @ 11/2 William Hill 1/5 1234 All odds are accurate at the time of writing

The first classic is upon us with the Qipco 2000 Guineas taking center stage at Newmarket this afternoon. The ITV cameras are there for five races including the big one at 16:40 whilst they will be showing the Thirsk Hunt Cup plus a class 2 handicap from Goodwood. The ground is good to firm at Newmarket although there are showers on the way whilst the ground at Goodwood is on the slow side and perfect good ground at Thirsk. Here’s my thoughts on the days action. Newmarket 14:15 An interesting fillies and mares 6F listed contest that has attracted eleven runners. Micheal Dods saddles a brace of sprinters in the shape of Azure Blue and Gale Force Mayo with preference for the latter who has such a good record here. I am concerned however by the form of the County Durham based trainer who’s had just the one winner in his last 35 runners although that did come earlier this week. The latter is officially the best in the field at today’s weights and should run well mind. The drying ground appears to have gone for Karl Burke’s Fast Response whilst Richard Hannon’s useful filly Heredia is dropping a furlong which isn’t certain to suit. I’ll take a chance with the only Irish runner in the field in the shape of Ken Condon’s four year old Spring Fever who will be ridden by Danny Tudhope. Lightly raced in her Classic year she was a Tipperary maiden winner over 7 1/2F in August prior to putting up her best performance when 3rd in a Group 3 at the same track three weeks later at 7F. She is dropping in trip here but has some juicy future entries including the 6F Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot (the only runner in the field to hold an entry in that prestigious sprint) and is maybe worth taking a chance on. SPRING FEELING 1 point each way @ 11/1 William Hill 1/5 123 Newmarket 14:50 A wide open 6F class 2 handicap with a near maximum 23 runners spread across the Newmarket Rowley Mile. Chances can be given to many with my short list comprising of Charlie Hills’s Tanmawwy who is 2lb well in here having run well when runner up at Newbury a fortnight ago. Last year’s winner Blackrod is an interesting runner who is now in the care of Roger Teal and may well have prepped for this with an outing on the all weather at Kempton last month. The stable are not really firing at the moment mind and he is 2lb higher than last season. Ed Walkers consistent sprinter Popmaster was 9th in this last year and is now 9lb better off with Blackrod for a 2 1/2L beating so could go well having run down the field at Newbury in the race that Tanmawwy was second in a fortnight ago. Celsius would be high up on my short list as he has a very good record fresh wining on three of the last four seasons first time out and the booking of Harry Davies looks enticing. His form actually ties in with Tom Tate’s Equiano Springs who has won four times from five starts here at Newmarket. The ground was probably on the slow side for him when he also ran too free here at the Craven meeting and at a big price I’ll take him to cause an upset with Celsius also in the staking plan. EQUIANO SPRINGS 1/2 point each way @ 33/1 William Hill 1/5th 123456 CELSIUS 1/2 point each way @ 20/1 bet365 1/5th 123456 Goodwood 15:05 Just ten have declared for this class 2 0-100 10F handicap with the likely favourite the Charlie Hills trained, Shadwell owned Maghlaak. He starts off in handicaps off of what may be a workable mark of 86 and is chasing a hat trick here following wins at Kempton on the all weather and over course and distance last September. That win hasn’t worked out that well and may represent poor value here. Richard Hughes’s Aussie Banker arrives in good form having placed twice in his last two starts on the all weather and has claims but the horse I like best is the John And Thady Gosden trained Honiton who was a bit unfortunate in bumping into some decent sorts last season including My Prospero (official rating now 121), Secret State (OR 110) and Eldar Eldarov (OR 116). He ran flat on his handicap debut at Royal Ascot which came a week after an easy win at Sandown. He’s been gelded since and a handicap mark of 93 looks very workable. The drying ground maybe against mudlark Bad Company who did it so well at Epsom 11 days ago whilst top weight Stay Well has run well fresh in the past and is not out of this. HONITON 2 points each way @ 4/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234 Newmarket 15:25 Another bumper field for this valuable 9F class 2 handicap, the Howden Suffolk Stakes. Many can be given chances with Godolphin’s King Of Conquest right amongst them having won a valuable handicap in Bahrain in February. The handicapper has reacted by rising him 10lb for that but he should be thereabouts. Jimi Hendrix proved his Lincoln Handicap run to be all wrong when scooting up at Newbury last month, a race for which he’s been raised 9lb for. He should be thereabouts also if coping with this sounder surface. The drying ground may be against the likes of Empirestateofmind, Great Max and Titian however. Last year’s course and distance winner of the Cambridgeshire Majestic trained by Jack Channon ran well on his re-appearance on heavy ground when 4th in the Lincoln, a race that has worked out well, and back on better ground has to be a player here and he’s the each way pick for me although I can’t resist a small saver on track specialist Turntable who’s won 4 of his 6 races at this track including twice last Autumn when ridden by today’s capable jockey Kaiya Fraser who claims 7lb. This is his first run for a new trainer in the very much in form Harry Eustace having joined from the now retired Chris Wall. MAJESTIC 1 point each way 9/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 TURNTABLE 1/2 point each way 10/1 bet365 1/5th 12345 Thirsk 15:40 The feature race of the day at the Yorkshire track is the 1M Thirsk Hunt Cup, a class 2 handicap for 4 year olds and upwards and has attracted a healthy field of 15. The race has a real open look about it with plenty holding chances of sorts. Top weight Cruyff Turn is the best horse in the race but one thinks that this will be a race to get him ready for another go at York’s Dante meeting. A couple who’s form entangle together is the Ann Duffield trained Billyb and Micky Hammond’s Carnival Zain with preference for the latter who’s well berthed in stall 5 and is two from two here. With the useful Aiden Brookes, claiming 5lb booked he’s worth a small each way bet in such an open handicap. David O’Meara saddles a trio of runners with Autumn Festival, who racked up a a five timer last season having to put a poor well beaten effort at Musselburgh on his re-appearance behind him whilst Pisanello was third in this last year from a one pound higher handicap mark. Tuscan is the third O’Meara runner whom I fancied a bit last week at Haydock when easy to back and running moderately. CARNIVAL ZAIN 1/2 bet each way @ 10/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Newmarket 16:00 The Group 3 Palace House Stakes is up next with a good sized field of 17 going to post for this 5F contest. Take out the rank outsider Sandbeck and on official ratings there’s only 7lb between the sixteen showing how open the contest is. Although I do think that Henry Candy’s five year old Twilight Calls has an excellent chance. A winner first time out for the last two seasons he has the assistance of Ryan Moore today and a reproduction of either of his second spots in Group 2 and Group 1 company last Summer would be good enough to take this with his optimum conditions today. Trainer Candy has his string in fine form winning with 3 of his last 10 runners and must go close here even if he did go off a similar price last year when only finishing 5th. John Ryan’s Manaccan has to carry a 3lb penalty for his Group 3 Dundalk victory last Autumn and should be thereabouts but I much prefer Twilight Calls. Charlie Hills does so well with his sprinters and saddles a brace here in Equilateral and Equality with preference for the latter who goes well fresh and has the assistance of William Buick today. He can run well but it’s all about the Candy horse for me. TWILIGHT CALLS 2 points win @ 3/1 bet365 Newmarket 16:40 The first colts classic of the 2023 turf season is as intriguing as ever. Aiden O’Brien sets a poser by saddling both last year’s top rated two year old Little Big Bear and the highly promising Auguste Rodin. Ryan Moore appears to have chosen the latter but it can’t have been an easy decision with his mount ideally needing further so any rain before race time would suit him. In contrast Little Big Bear who will be ridden by Wayne Lordan looks fast and has doubts about seeing out a mile although his breeding suggests he may well stay a mile. Chaldean comes here as a smart juvenile whose attempt at having a prep run ended in disaster with Frankie Dettori unseated at the stalls in the Greenham at Newbury a fortnight ago. He should be thereabouts and Dettori will be hoping for a classic win in his final year race riding. Sakheer may well struggle staying the mile whilst the pick of the Godolphin pair may well be Silver Knott although he was behind Chaldean last year and his stable seem to be struggling for top form at the moment. Royal Scotsman should not be overlooked either but I’ll take Little Big Bear to score for team Ballydoyle as he was the best of these as a juvenile and although there’s plenty of talk about him not staying his pedigree suggests otherwise. LITTLE BIG BEAR 2 points each way @ 11/2 William Hill 1/5 1234 All odds are accurate at the time of writing

Eight races this afternoon are to be televised by the ITV team with five coming from the home of racing at Newmarket for their first day (of three) Guineas meeting where the ground is currently riding good whilst they are a trio of races from Goodwood where they will be racing on soft (but drying) ground. Newmarket 13:15 Today’s televised action kicks off with an eight runner 10F listed Newmarket Stakes for 3 year-old colts and geldings. The best piece of form is held by Ralph Beckett’s Salt Bay who is one of four in this field that holds the Epsom Derby entry next month. This is his re-appearance having stepped up from winning a Haydock maiden on his debut to finishing 3rd in a Group 1 in France on heavy ground last backend. His biggest threat may come from the James Ferguson trained Like A Tiger who was a mightily impressive winner of a handicap at the Craven meeting. He is however rated 10lb inferior to Salt Bay and has a pronounced round action so may prefer much softer ground. Charlie Appleby saddles a brace of runners with stable number one William Buick apparently picking Castle Way over Victory Dance and with a Dante entry can be competitive here. Sir Michael Stoute has had an excellent start to the season and sends Circle Of Fire who is owned by The King & Queen Consort. Impressive when winning at Salisbury last September he is still in the Derby and he’s one to keep an eye on. An intriguing race which will be well worth following in the coming months with the best form held by Salt Bay and he looks the most likeliest winner here. SALT BAY 1 point win @ 10/3 William Hill Goodwood 13:30 A surprising addition to the ITV coverage today is this class 2 5F restricted Novice Stakes for two year olds. 13 go to post with just four of those having already run. The best of the quartet may well be Craig Lidster’s Vitarli who showed a good attitude to battle back and beat Anfaal at Beverley last week although she is penalised 7lb for that victory. Amy Murphy sends her Adaay colt Dubai Hills here having finished runner up of fifteen juveniles at Chantilly in April. He should improve and run well whilst Rod Millman’s Beenham was nibbled at in the market when third on his debut at Bath to an easy Eve Johnson Houghton newcomer. Johnson Houghton saddles a brace of newcomers and her Ethansun who runs in the double green silks of Munir and Souede is the early mover in the market and with Johnson Houghton already sending out two three year old winners is the one to be with as she has a line to her juveniles who seem a very good bunch. Andrew Balding and Richard Hannon also saddle newcomers here but I’ll take a chance with the Saxon Warrior colt of Eve Johnson Houghtons. ETHANDUN 1 point win @ 13/8 bet365 Newmarket 13:50 Only five go to post for the re-arranged (from last weekend’s abandoned Sandown card) bet365 Mile, a Group 2 contest run over a mile. Light Infantry was last seen running 6th at Rosehill in Australia in October having previously shown good form when runner up in two Group ones at Deauville in the Summer. He’s smart and David Simcock’s four year old, ridden by Jamie Spencer, looks sure to be thereabouts. He may struggle however to beat Charlie Appleby’s smart Native Trail who has a great classic year in 2022 when runner up to stable mate Coroebus in the 2000 Guineas at this meeting prior to taking the Irish version three weeks later. An excellent third against his elders in the Eclipse followed before finishing the season on a low when flopping behind Baaeed at York in the Juddmonte International. He’s back having had his wind tinkered with and can confirm his superiority over Light Infantry in last years 2000 Guineas when he was 6L ahead of his rival then. Charlie Hill’s Mutasaabeq has an excellent record fresh having won first time out the last three years and despite a 3lb penalty can also run well but this is all about Native Trail for me. NATIVE TRAIL 2 points win @ 5/4 Unibet Goodwood 14:05 Nine four year old and upwards fillies and mares line up for this listed Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes run over 12F where I feel there is a decent wager. It comes in the shape of favourite Time Lock who has plenty going for her. Roger and Harry Charlton have had a quiet start to the turf season but recent signs are that they are ready to roll now and this well bred four year old can take this en route to a fruitful season. An easy winner at Newmarket last May preceded runner up spots behind two smart fillies in Mimikyu (beaten a neck)who went on to win twice more including the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and Haskoy who went on to finish fourth in the St Leger (Beaten only 2L). Proven on soft ground she will be very hard to beat under David Probert. Her opponents don’t look in the same league as her with David Simcock’s Ching Shih and Voodoo Queen (5 1/4L behind Time Lock at York) the most likely to worry the favourite. The selection has a Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes entry at Royal Ascot next month and will be hard to beat. TIME LOCK 3 points win @ 11/10 bet365 Newmarket 14:25 Eight promising three year olds go to post for this listed 7F King Charles II Stakes. Best in at weights is Richard Hannon’s Shouldhavebeenaring who ran well in 6F handicap company at the Craven meeting and should run his race here stepping up a furlong. This can go to the boys in blue again with Charlie Appleby and William Buick teaming up with their hooded three year old Majestic Pride who was last seen winning a conditions race at the Craven meeting on soft ground and in a race that actually lacks plenty in depth can go the way of Godolphin. James Tate’s Iconic Moment has to shoulder a 3lb penalty and is making his turf debut under Ryan Moore but can be competitive. Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane gets the ride on Peter Chapple-Hyam’s filly Crystallium and wasn’t totally disgraced on her re-appearance in the Fred Darling at Newbury. MAJESTIC PRIDE 1 point win @ 9/4 William Hill Goodwood 14:35 A class 2 5F sprint handicap which has attracted just 8 runners. James Evan’s Dream Composer did well to win at the Newmarket Craven meeting by half a length and a rise of just 2lb shouldn’t stop him being competitive. Top weight Prop Forward trained by Clive Cox and owned by Jeff Smith looks a smart sprinter and has won two of his three starts since being gelded, both on the all weather but reverting to turf shouldn’t be an issue and raised 4lb for his latest win at Kempton can be competitive today. Roger Teal’s Whenthedealisdone won at the track in 2021 and is another that could run well although he has yet to win first time out. Came From The Dark will appreciate any more rain and with a good run at Musselburgh behind him has claims especially if there’s any further rain. A trappy handicap but I’ll take a chance with top weight Prop Forward with Kieran Shoemark on board. PROP FORWARD 1 point win @ 4/1 bet365 Newmarket 15:00 Eight go to post for this class 2 7F 0-105 handicap which won’t, in my opinion, take much winning. Ralph Beckett’s Star Of Orion has fallen to a winning mark and although he hasn’t been seen for 190 days would have claims along with top weight Accidental Agent who although now 9 years old appears to have retained his ability and won first time out over course and distance at last year’s Craven meeting under today’s rider Georgia Dobie off of the same handicap mark. With his trainer Eve Johnson Houghton hitting form in the last fortnight he could roll back the years and win what amounts to a very winnable handicap for the prize money. Bass Player could be interesting if the money comes for him as Tom Clover’s four year old showed good form early last season and returns here having had a wind operation. William Stone’s Final Watch ran well at the last meeting here and with a one pound drop can also be thereabouts. ACCIDENTAL AGENT 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 123 Newmarket 15:35 A disappointing turnout of just five have declared for this 1m 4F Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes. Charlie Appleby saddles a pair in the race with William Buick apparently choosing Hurricane Lane over Global Storm who will be ridden by James Doyle. He sports first time cheek pieces today having bombed out badly at Newbury on his re-appearance when cutting out rather quickly when finishing last of seven in the John Porter beaten some 19L. Several good judges felt we would never see the horse again so it’s somewhat of a surprise that he turns up here a fortnight later. The connections said afterwards that he was unsuited by soft ground which to me was rather surprising as he has won a Group 1 on heavy ground and ran a close 3rd in the 2021 Arc De Triomphe on bad ground. He’s the top rated here and could win but after that last run looks poor value and I’ll be looking elsewhere for the winner. Simon and Ed Crisford run their smart four year old West Wind Blows who if straight enough could be the one to be with. A winner of three races in his classic year and third in a Group 1 in France he has won first time out the last two years and in the hope he’ll be forward enough is taken to win under Jamie Spencer. Outbox couldn’t be fancied on his last run when last in a Musselburgh handicap whilst Rae Guest’s filly Jewel In My Crown has plenty to find. WEST WIND BLOWS 1 point win @ 6/4 bet365 All odds accurate at time of writing

First run in 1957 the Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 Handicap Chase open to five year olds and upwards and run at Sandown Park over 3M 4F 166 yards in which 24 fences are jumped. Older readers will know the race as the Whitbread Gold Cup which it was known from its inception until 2001. Irish raider Hewick won last year’s renewal for Shark Hanlon who misses this year’s renewal but can be seen this afternoon in the Oaksey Chase at 14:50. Here’s my horse-by-horse guide on this year’s bet365 Gold Cup which is set to take place at 15:15 FRODON Trainer: Paul Nicholls Jockey: Bryony Frost Joint oldest in race at eleven years of age. Started season by winning the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton but has failed to to reproduce that effort since in four starts since. Good ground and a positive ride suit him and has built up a terrific association with Bryony Frost. Not done any favours however by Hewick defecting to Oaksey Chase as he now has to shoulder 12 stone and top weight. THE GOFFER Trainer: Gordon Elliott Jockey: Sean Bowen Joint youngest in race at six years of age. Lightly raced over fences having won a beginners chase at Thurles last November and a valuable Leopardstown Handicap Chase in February. Pulled up last time in Irish Grand National though should stay well. Had previously finished 4th in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham which looks red hot form now with the subsequent wins of Corach Rambler (Grand National) and Fastorslow (Punchestown Gold Cup). Can run well. ANNSAM Trainer: Evan Williams Jockey: Adam Wedge Easy winner over 3M at Kempton and Ludlow from his last three starts but has risen a stone for those wins and has to prove his stamina at today’s trip (ran 6th, beaten 18L in Coral Gold Cup last November over 3M 2F, which is the furthest he’s ever travelled). TEA CLIPPER Trainer: Tom Lacey Jockey: Stan Sheppard Yet to race beyond 3M 1F. Soundly beaten on last two starts in good company. Was a 33/1 chance when 6th in Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham Festival some 18L behind The Goffer. Needs to improve. CERTAINLY RED Trainer: Lydia Richards Jockey: Caoilin Quinn (5) Winner of three handicap chases this season, twice at Wincanton and here at Sandown. Teed up for this with a school round at Ascot over hurdles. 7lb higher than latest victory and will need to improve to take a hand in the finish. KITTYS LIGHT Trainer: Christian Williams Jockey: Jack Tudor Thorough stayer who comes here in excellent form having won the Eider Handicap Chase at Newcastle and last week’s Scottish Grand National. Has no penalty for last week’s 3L success and is the one they all have to beat if none the worse for last weekend exertions. Ran third in this race last year off of a 5lb higher mark though did have a three week break then as opposed to this season’s one week. Likely favourite who have a poor record in the race with the last outright favourite winning back in 1990 with Mr Frisk. ANNUAL INVICTUS Trainer: Chris Gordon Jockey: Mr Freddie Gordon (7) Spent most of this term running over hurdles (winning twice) though did contest the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last time when a well beaten 33/1 chance. Hard to fancy on that effort and best to look elsewhere. REVELS HILL Trainer: Harry Fry Jockey: Kevin Brogan Been placed in four valuable handicap chases this season and ran Coolvalla to a length in Devon Stayers Handicap Chase at Exeter last time out. 3lb higher now means he’s on a career high handicap mark. Stays well and holds each way claims. ENRILO Trainer: Paul Nicholls Jockey: Harry Cobden Was first past the post in this race two years ago but was demoted to third for causing interference on the run in. 6lb lower now. Pulled up last year when second favourite. Subsequently had his wind tinkered with and was going well when falling in Badger Beer Handicap Chase on re-appearance. Shown little in two starts soon but appears to have been trained for this and has been dropped 5lb since his last run. Not one to dismiss. MORODER Trainer: Seamus Mullins Jockey: Michael Nolan A winner of 5 of his 9 starts over fences including when beating Undersupervision at Doncaster last month by a neck. 4lb rise puts him on a career high handicap mark now. Has won over 3M 6F so will see this trip out well. ORGANDI Trainer: Richard Philips Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies Not seen since October when pulling up at Cheltenham. Previously had won at Warwick but is an inconsistent sort who is hard to fancy and also has a slight stamina doubt over todays trip. COOLVALLA Trainer: Gary Moore Jockey: Rex Dingle Had a terrific first season over fences winning five of his six starts with only defeat coming in the NH Chase at Cheltenham. Stays well as he showed when taking the Devon Stayers Handicap Chase at Exeter in March by a length from Revels Hill who re-opposes on 3lb better terms. All wins gained with cut in the ground so if ground rides slow would have definite claims (was taken out of Scottish National last week due to the good fast ground). BROKEN HALO Trainer: Paul Nicholls Jockey: Tom Buckley (3) Winner of two military races here over 3M this year under Jody Sole rising 5lb for those two victories. This will be a lot tougher and has yet to race beyond three miles. Will need to improve. MUSICAL SLAVE Trainer: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Jockey: Aidan Coleman Runner up to Hewick in this very race last year off of a 3lb lower mark. A winner at Exeter in February but pulled up last time in Kim Muir at Cheltenham Festival. Each way claims on last year’s run but ten years old now. MUCHO MAS Trainer: Ben Pauling Jockey: Kielan Woods Lightly raced 7 year old who’s only run four times over fences winning twice. A winner here over 3M last month on soft ground and been raised 4lb since. Yet to race beyond three miles but is an improver and may have more in the locker. 5lb out of handicap here mind. COURT MASTER Trainer: Michael Scudamore Jockey: Beau Morgan (7) Not seen for 307 days and re-appears having had a wind operation. A winner of 5 of his 16 chases but hard to fancy even on his best form especially a he’s 7lb wrong at the weights. DJANGO Trainer: David Pipe Jockey: Sean Houlihan His 20th start of the season. Been on the go for far too long and from way out of the handicap is impossible to fancy. RED HAPPY Trainer: David Pipe Jockey: David Noonan In same ownership as Django. His 23rd run of the season. Way out of the handicap here and needs a rest. Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase Tips Likely favourite Kittys Light has been placed in the last two renewals of this famous race and comes here having won the Scottish Grand National only a week ago. Unpenalised for that effort he’s 6lb well in and can run well with the only niggling doubt being the fact that last year there was three weeks between the two races where as this time around it’s only a week. If fully over last Saturday’s exertions he should go close though at the prices I’m happy to look elsewhere for the winner although will definitely have a small saver to cover my stakes. Top weight Frodon has a big task under his weight whilst his trainer Paul Nicholls may have a better chance with Enrilo who’s nicely handicapped and appears to have been trained for this. There shouldn’t be much between Harry Fry’s Revels Hill and Chris Gordon’s Coolvalla on recent Exeter form and I’m surprised that the two aren’t closer together in the betting with the latter at least double Revels Hill’s price. The one I want to be with is The Goffer who’s over from Gordon Elliott’s stable in Ireland and has an excellent piece of Cheltenham form when 4th in the Ultima with subsequent big race winners in first and second (Tea Clipper behind and held). THE GOFFER 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365 1/5th 123456 COOLVALLA 1 point each way @ 16/1 Betfred 1/5th 12345 KITTYS LIGHT 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365

Ed and the gang at ITV Racing bring us seven races this afternoon with five coming from the seasons National Hunt finale meeting at Sandown where the feature race is the bet365 Gold Cup to be run at 2.15. The ground is riding good on both the hurdles and chase course which is quite surprising when you consider Friday’s flat card was abandoned due to heavy ground! There’s also a good flat turf handicap from both Leicester and Haydock. Here’s my thoughts on the afternoon’s fayre. Sandown 13:05 The days action kicks off with a highly competitive sixteen runner class 2 bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle. Many with chances most notably the Nicky Henderson trained Under Control who’s looked a horse of some promise in winning at Newbury and Cheltenham on good ground this season. She flopped on very soft ground in between at the Cheltenham Frstival but if the ground isn’t too slow she should be thereabouts. She’s one of three JP McManus owned runners in the field with Henderson’s other runner Iberico Lord holding the same chance as Paul Nicholls’ Beau Balko on Stratford form from a month ago. Many others can be given chances including Ben Pauling’s Joe Dadancer who finally came good last time at Southwell and bottom weight Kansas Du Berlais who’s been doing his winning at Fontwell and must have been hard for handicapper to rate. Paul Nicholls is finishing the season in terrific form and saddles the top three in the handicap with Harry Cobden appearing to have chosen the four timer seeking Killaloan who is maybe the best of the trio in a race that the master trainer has won twice in the last four years since it’s inception. A tough race but I’ll stick with Under Control to step forward again for her recent Cheltenham win for which she’s been raised 7lb. UNDER CONTROL 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet354 1/5th 12345 Sandown 13:40 Five decent chasers face the starter for the Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase run over 1m 7F 99 yards. Nicky Henderson’s smart novice Jonbon is a surprise runner here having won four of his five starts over fences with his only defeat coming in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham behind the useful El Fabiolo. He had a virtual school round at Aintree when a big odds on chance a fortnight ago and has to be a player here. His big danger and to my eyes the likely winner is the Paul Nicholls trained Greaneteen who’s won this race comfortably for the past two years. The soft ground at Cheltenham was not in his favour and with conditions to suit and officially rated a 9lb superior horse to the novice Jonbon can get the hat trick up here under Harry Cobden. Irish challenger Captain Guinness ran a stormer at Cheltenham when finishing runner up in the Champion Chase behind Energumene with Greaneteen 24L back in third and Editeur Du Gite a further 3/4L back in 4th with Funambule Sivola crashing out at the third fence. He has claims but back on his favourite course and on less taxing ground conditions it’s Greaneteen for me. GREANETEEN 2 points win @ 9/4 bet365 Sandown 14:15 Likely favourite Kittys Light has been placed in the last two renewals of this famous race and comes here having won the Scottish Grand National only a week ago. Unpenalised for that effort he’s 6lb well in and can run well with the only niggling doubt being the fact that last year there was three weeks between the two races where as this time around it’s only a week. If fully over last Saturday’s exertions he should go close though at the prices I’m happy to look elsewhere for the winner although will definitely have a small saver to cover my stakes. Top weight Frodon has a big task under his weight whilst his trainer Paul Nicholls may have a better chance with Enrilo who’s nicely handicapped and appears to have been trained for this. There shouldn’t be much between Harry Fry’s Revels Hill and Chris Gordon’s Coolvalla on recent Exeter form and I’m surprised that the two aren’t closer together in the betting with the latter at least double Revels Hill’s price. The one I want to be with is The Goffer who’s over from Gordon Elliott’s stable in Ireland and has an excellent piece of Cheltenham form when 4th in the Ultima with subsequent big race winners in first and second (Tea Clipper behind and held). THE GOFFER 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365 1/5th 123456 COOLVALLA 1 point each way @ 16/1 Betfred 1/5th 12345 KITTYS LIGHT 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365 Sandown 14:50 Only seven line up for the Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase run over 2M 6 1/2F, a race which Philip Hobb’s Menorah won four times on the bounce from 2014-2017. The one to beat is Shark Hanlon’s flag bearer Hewick who was pulled out of the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday due to the testing ground. He was very impressive on this card last year when taking the bet365 Gold Cup by 8L over a mile further trip than today’s. Today’s trip shouldn’t be an issue as he dropped down to this trip when winning the American Grand National last October. A versatile sort who officially is 10lb and upwards better than his six opponents he should be winning this under Rachael Blackmore. Eldorado Allen looks far too short in the current betting to me for a horse who doesn’t win often enough whilst Paul Nicholl’s McFabulous has questions to answer now having flopped last time with an irregular heartbeat. He did however win over hurdles on the card last year. His stable mate Solo has 19lb to find with Hewick and will need to improve further. This looks Hewick’s to lose and unless the ground went soft is a confident selection. HEWICK 2 points win @ 6/4 bet365 Leicester 15:05 It’s off to Leicester now for the 1M class 2 King Richard lll Cup Handicap. Eight have declared for a race to be run on soft ground. The favourite and easily the most likely winner is William Haggas’s Al Mubhir. He went off 4/1 favourite for the Lincoln four weeks ago and despite racing freely finished a credible 5th beaten 4L behind Migration. He was 2 1/2L ahead of one of his dangers here today in Bopedro who went in to win at Newmarket and re-opposes Al Mubhir on 6lb worse terms. It’s hard to fancy top weight Notre Belle Bete who’s been pushed up 7lb for his win on All-Weather Championships day at Newcastle and looks weighted out of this back on the turf. Sir Michael Stoute saddles Aerion Power and he too may struggle on the likely soft conditions. Bottom weight Maysong won under a 7lb claimer last time and is 5lb higher now and with no claimer on his back is up against it in this grade whilst Wobwobwob won’t mind the ground and should strip fitter for his latest re-appearance effort. Al Mubhir has won on heavy ground and off of the same mark as the Lincoln run will be hard to beat under William Buick. AL MUBHIR 2 points win @ 2/1 bet365 Sandown 15:25 The Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase is a valuable 2m 4F contest which has attracted a field of nine this year. This year’s renewal looks an open contest with several holding chances. Top weight Cap Du Mathan looks the pick on jockey bookings of the two Paul Nicholls runners and with the horse he was runner up to at Kempton last time Whistleinthedark winning well on Thursday at Perth can take this despite having to give weight to all under the stable’s number one jockey Harry Cobden. Nicholls’ other runner Quel Destin will be ridden by Bryony Frost and his latest form ties in with Gary Moore’s Hudson De Grugy who loves this track having won four of his seven starts here. Ben Pauling’s Quinto Do Mar is lightly raced over fences and holds Nicky Henderson’s runner Fable on his recent Fontwell win which has been boosted since by the subsequent success of the runner up Grandads Cottage. He can run well and is favoured over Pauling’s other runner Harpers Brook. A tough race to call but with Paul Nicholls been crowned Champion NH Trainer for the 14th time today his Cap Du Mathan can take this valuable contest. CAP DU MATHAN 1 point win @ 4/1 bet365 Haydock 15:45 The only race covered by ITV at the Lancashire track is this 7F class 2 handicap which has attracted a dozen runners. It has an open look about it with the weights headed by Richard Hannon’s Witch Hunter who surely has been weighted out of this with a 6lb rise for a Newcastle 2nd to Diligent Harry pushing him up to 108. Spycatcher would have to be on my short list having taken the scalp of the well regarded King Athos at Thirsk last Saturday on soft ground. Whether this comes too soon for him only time will tell. Ralph Beckett saddles his progressive 6 year old Biggles, a triple winner as a five year old but has a 175 day’s absence to overcome. David O’Meara has yet to get really going this turf season and saddles a trio of runners here in Orbaan, The Horse Watcher’s Rhoscolyn, who’s had his wind tinkered with since last seen some 196 days ago and maybe of more interest is the ex Charlie Hills trained Tuscan. He’s been gelded since last seen in September and new connections went to 35,000 guineas to buy him a month later. He won first time out last season from a horse now rated 107 and with O’Meara’s excellent record with other peoples cast offs has to be part of the staking plan. The other horse I like is Marco Botti’s bottom weight Rainbow Fire who bumped into the smart all weather performer Kingdom Come at Kempton 24 days ago and with that run behind him can run well back on the turf off of just a 3lb higher handicap mark with Neil Callan in the saddle. RAINBOW FIRE 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 TUSCAN 1/2 point each way @ 14/1 bet365 1/5th 1234

ITV show six races on Friday with four coming from an excellent flat card at Sandown which features three Group races and on which they will be racing on testing ground with the official call being heavy (soft in places). A lot further north and we have a brace of races from Perth racing on officially good (good to soft in places) ground. Here’s my thoughts on the six contests. Perth 13:30 The first of two handicaps shown by ITV today is this 2M class 3 handicap hurdle which sees 8 runners facing the starter. Nick Alexander’s Ginger Mail arrives here in good form having finished runner up on his last two starts and sports first time cheek pieces today. He has to give weight to all of his seven rivals however. Ruth Jefferson’s Inca Prince has fallen to a winning mark and in a first time visor could be dangerous although the one I like is Lucinda Russell’s Cuban Cigar who if in the same form as his recent Musselburgh win in a handicap a grade higher than todays should be thereabouts. Raised 4lb for that victory he will be ridden by the useful 5lb conditional jockey Patrick Wadge. Russell has her team in fine form scoring with a double at Perth on Wednesday. With Glentruan down to run on Thursday this isn’t an each way race as his possible defection would leave just seven runners so we’ll go with small win only stakes wager on Cuban Cigar. CUBAN CIGAR 1 point win @ 9/2 BetVictor Sandown 13:50 A disappointing turnout of just five, due to the testing conditions no doubt, for the 1M bet365 Esher Cup Handicap a class 2 event for three year old which is always worth following throughout the season. Top weight and favourite here is the Charlie Appleby trained Local Dynasty who won 3 of his 4 starts as a juvenile and holds a Group 2 Dante entry next month at York. He’s already a listed winner and most importantly has won on soft ground so these conditions shouldn’t hold no fear for him. He has a big chance and will be hard to beat. Marco Botti’s Legend Of Leroy’s is also making his handicap debut and his maiden victory last season came in soft ground. He’s already had a run this flat season when third to the smart Slipofthepen on the all-weather 18 days ago. Physique is trained by the father and son combo of Paul and Oliver Cole and is another one who’s proven already in soft ground having won a novices’ stakes at Newmarket last backend. Jack Channon’s Metal Merchant is hard to fancy having never raced in this type of terrain whilst Charlie Hills’ Saxon King maybe the biggest threat to the favourite having scored last October in heavy ground at Haydock and makes his handicap debut here. Not a great deal of value but the favourite Local Dynasty can take this with William Buick on board. LOCAL DYNASTY 2 points win @ 11/8 Betfred Perth 14:05 A good sized field of 14 line up for the class 3 BetVictor Highland National Handicap Chase run over 3M 6 1/2F. Several have chances with amongst the front few in the betting the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s promising Concetto who’s won 2 of his 3 starts over fences at up to three miles. He is trying a new trip today but does shape like an out and out stayer and has claims under Fergus Gregory. Another where there maybe stamina doubts about is Rose Dobbin’s Gentleman De Mai who’s yet to race beyond three miles but like Concetto is young enough to possibly stay this extreme trip. Lucinda Russell has her string in excellent form and was amongst the winners here on Wednesday and saddles a brace here in the shape of Return Fire (Patrick Wadge) and Destiny Is All (Derek Fox). The latter interests me the most as his career best two runs have come on his last runs and proved his stamina with a fine 7L second to course specialist Volcano at Warwick last time over 3M 5F. In a very tight race I’ll take him to oblige. DESTINY IS ALL 1 point each way @ 15/2 bet365 1/5th 1234 Sandown 14:25 Another small field of just four this time go to post for the Group 3 bet365 Gordon Richards Stakes run over 1m 1F 209 yards. Owen Burrows’ Anmaat who runs in the Shadwell Stud colours was a much improved horse last season winning the John Smiths Handicap on his seasonal re-appearance prior to Group 3 at Haydock and Group 2 at Longchamp victories. The latter victory was gained in heavy ground so today’s terrain should hold no fear although he has to shoulder a 5lb penalty here. Charlie Appleby’s Derby winner from 2021 Adayar has to carry no penalty here so is effectively rated 8lb superior to Anmaat and will be hard to beat. He has form in the mud and was last seen when chasing home the smart Bay Bridge in Ascot’s Champion Stakes last October. A genuine Group 1 horse and ridden by William Buick he should be winning here. His stable mate Highland Avenue, ridden by James Doyle, has 17lb to find on official ratings and following an absence of 417 days is very unlikely to worry his stable companion. Sir Michael Stoute saddles Regal Reality who should go the ground and ridden by Ryan Moore has a squeak but he too has 12lb to find with Adayar who is too short to back but maybe a straight forecast for him to beat Anmaat is the call. Sandown 15:00 The bet365 Mile is a Group 2 contest for 4 year olds and upwards which has attracted a field of seven. David Simcock’s Light Infantry is the highest rated of these and has good form on soft ground. Runner up in two Group 1’s at Deauville last Summer he is the one to beat if tuned up for this first run of the season here. Charlie Hill’s Mutasaabeq has a 3lb penalty to shoulder for a Group 2 victory at Newmarket last Autumn which isn’t ideal whilst Sir Michael Stoute’s Potapova is the only mare in the race and most importantly the only runner who is untested on a soft surface so can be overlooked for that reason. Andrew Balding’s Imperial Fighter ran a shocker on his re-appearance with his handler saying afterwards that the colt didn’t handle the soft ground despite having shown in the past he goes on it. Migration ran out a good winner of the Lincoln on the opening day of the turf season at Doncaster and this represents a step up in grade for him though he adores soft ground. Angel Bleu is another who needs the mud and I can see him running well. A dual Group 1 winner on very soft ground as a juvenile he has to put a rather limp effort last time in France behind him but with Frankie Dettori booked he’s maybe the value play here as he’s sure to be straight now following two runs this season whilst Light Infantry hasn’t been seen for 181 days. William Hill and bet365 are paying three places in this seven runner contest so let’s go each way with the extra place. ANGEL BLEU 1 point each way @ 8/1 William Hill 1/5 123 Sandown 15:35 Only five go to post for this years renewal of the 1m 2F bet365 Classic Trial, a Group 3 three year old contest which has thrown up some smart middle distance horses over the years and was won last year by Westover whilst in 2021 the Derby winner Adayar was runner up. Four of the five participants this year hold the Epsom Derby entry with Andrew Balding’s easy Kempton winner Relentless Voyager being the odd one out. He has officially 22lb to find with the top rated Arrest and is hard to fancy. Arrest is the only one of the quintet who has actually raced on soft ground when chasing home Dubai Mile in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in France last October. That’s the best piece of form on hand here although I am very worried about the current form of John and Thady Gosden’s. Despite taking the Epsom Derby Trial earlier in the week with Epictetus many of their better three year olds have been beaten out of sight and it would be a brave man taking a short price about one of theirs at present. Sir Michael Stoute saddles an interesting runner in Circle Of Fire, a Salisbury winner for The King last September but this represents a big jump in class and is unproven on a soft surface. Ralph Beckett mentioned his Salt Bay as a horse he had high hopes for on the excellent ‘Luck On Sunday’ Racing TV programme last weekend and having finished third in the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint Cloud last October on heavy ground should have no issues with the ground. That leaves us with the Charlie Appleby trained Flying Honours who there’s been very good gallop reports for this Spring. A Group 3 winner as a juvenile at Newmarket he can run well but has yet to be tested on a soft terrain and my preference here is Salt Bay for Ralph Beckett who took this last year with Westover. SALT BAY 1 point win @ 7/2 bet365

A bumper afternoon’s racing from the ITV team with nine quality races across both codes, something for everyone as they say. Newbury have their 1000 and 2000 Guineas trials plus the Spring Cup to be run on softish ground whilst up at Ayr it’s Scottish Grand National day with the ground riding good. Here’s my thoughts on the nine races:- Ayr 13:15 A tightly knit ten runner class 1 Handicap Chase starts the Ayr card today. The first four from last years race are reunited here with last season’s winner Return Ticket my fancy. Rebecca Menzies’s ten year old scraped home a year ago from Malystic who’s now a pound better off with Gold Des Bois 9L back in third and Ardera Cross a further 14L back in fourth spot. Return Ticket bounced back to form in no uncertain manner at Carlisle a fortnight ago following his second wind operation when leading 2 out and going clear. He’s been raised 9lb for that but is still fairly handicapped on old form and with a good record here of 2 wins from 3 starts can strike under his regular rider Sean Quinlan. The dangers may come from the pair that raced at Aintree last week in the Red Rum Handicap Chase. That day Laura Morgan’s Hasankey had Ann Hamilton’s Pay The Piper half a length behind and there shouldn’t be much between them today. Dan Skelton saddles Frere D’Armes, a lightly raced novice who’s won two of his three starts over fences and has Bridget Andrews taking over from her partner Harry Skelton today. A competitive race but it’s Return Ticket that hopefully can post back to back wins in the Scotty Brand Handicap Chase. RETURN TICKET 1 point each way @ 8/1 bet365 1/5 123 Newbury 13:30 Run over 1m 4F the Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes or more commonly known as the John Porter Stakes is a Group 3 contest which has attracted just eight runners this term. A warm favourite and hard to oppose is Charlie Appleby’s five year old entire Hurricane Lane. A smart three year old when winning the Irish Derby, Grand Prix De Paris and the St Leger culminating in a excellent third beaten under a length in the Arc De Triomphe. His two starts as a four year old were disappointing and he’s back following a 293 day break. On official ratings his biggest threat maybe the Richard Hannon trained Mojo Star who missed a recent start at Nottingham due to the testing ground and hasn’t been seen since running an excellent second to Kyprios in last season’s Ascot Gold Cup. He has bumped into Hurricane Lane a couple of times as a three year old and the score is two nil to the Godolphin colt. Last year’s winner Max Vega has it to do with a 3lb penalty although he does have his ground whilst the Gosden’s Israr is on a retrieval mission having bombed out in the November Handicap when last seen. This is all about Hurricane Lane and he will take some stopping. HURRICANE LANE 3 points win @ 5/6 bet365 Ayr 13:50 Nine novices face the starter for this class 2 Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase run over 3M. Nicky Henderson plundered this prize last year with Dusart who lines up today for the Scottish Grand National and saddles his progressive novice City Chief who runs in the yellow and black check silks of the Donnelly’s. He’s impressed in winning two of his three starts over fences including the Grade 2 Towton Chase at Wetherby in February. He’s been raised 7lb for that and will have to shoulder top weight here but looks the one they all have to beat. He’s been as big as 8/1 in the ante post market for this contest during the week and although we won’t be getting anything like that today he’s still worth backing with Nico De Boinville here to take the ride. Joe Tizzard’s Oscar Elite and Dan Skelton’s Sail Away both come here in preference to the Scottish Grand National later on the card and hold each way claims along with the likes of Nick Alexander’s Ned Tanner but this can go the way of the long distance traveller City Chief who can take this en route to better things next season. CITY CHIEF 2 points win @ 5/2 BetVictor Newbury 14:05 Fourteen promising three year old fillies line up for another 1000 Guineas trial in the Group 3 7F Dubai Duty Free Stakes (better known as The Fred Darling Stakes). This looks a race more to watch with the future in mind then to get our punting boots on. John and Thady Gosden have three fillies here with Soul Sister and Bridestones both impressing in winning their only races and don’t dismiss the ‘3rd’ string Fully Wet who I’m led to believe has done some good work this Spring at Newmarket. The highest official rating is held by Karl Burke’s Swingalong who had some good pieces of form as a juvenile including when a 4L 4th in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. She’s very speedy though and 7F may not play to her strengths. 9 of the 14 hold the 1000 Guineas entry including Amo Racing’s Magical Sunset who is my pick here. She beat the smart Sakheer on his racecourse debut at Windsor last August and ending the season winning at Leicester and Newbury with the latter success coming in heavy ground in the listed Radley Stakes over course and distance. The same connections took the Fred Darling earlier in the week and she’s worth a tentative wager here. MAGICAL SUNSET 1 point each way @ 5/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Ayr 14:25 The Scottish Champion Hurdle is up next, a limited handicap run over two miles which this year has attracted 12 runners including the last two winners of this valuable race. All twelve can be given some sort of chance with the weights headed by Nicky Henderson’s First Street. Ireland is represented by Laura Fowler’s Colonel Mustard who ran a stormer at Kelso last time when runner up to Benson with L’Eau Du Sud 3 1/2L behind (now 2lb better off). John McConnell’s Anna Burina, who seems to come alive at this time of the year, was runner up two years ago (to Milkwood) and won this last year. She should run well although she is now 12lb higher than last year so things won’t be so easy. One horse who ran 5th in this race last year and actually won it the previous year is Neill Mulholland’s Milkwood who to my eyes has an outstanding each way chance today. Only beaten 8L by Anna Burina a year ago he re-opposes on 24lb better terms and is now 4lb lower than when winning two years ago. His latest effort can readily be forgotten as that was on soft ground and in a first time hood which may not have suited. He’s been given a chance by the handicapper and if somewhere near the form he was in at this meeting for the last two seasons should go close at a nice price. Kerry Lee saddles her improving novice Nemean Lion on his handicap debut and could be well in but I’m not sure a speed test on good ground is what this six year old wants. Paul Nicholls has his novice Rubaud entered but he’s already been beaten in handicap company and the form of his recent win at Kempton hasn’t worked out well. Soaring Glory is another who dropping in trip on good ground has claims but I’ll take my chances with the Sam Twiston-Davies Milkwood who looks so well handicapped. MILKWOOD 1 1/2 points each way @ 12/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 Newbury 14:40 The Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes is a Group 3 contest run over 7F and is a trial for the 2000 Guineas in a fortnights time. Eleven go to post and we have a very warm favourite here in the Andrew Balding trained Chaldean who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori. He’s the clear form pick here having won at Group 3, 2 and 1 as a juvenile. He’ll be hard to beat if anywhere near peak fitness. Official ratings have him 9lb and more ahead of his ten opponents. Simon and Ed Crisford’s Knight looked a horse of potential when winning the Group 3 Horris Hill Stakes over course and distance (Greys Monument 2nd and held) last October but that was in very soft ground and that maybe what he needs whilst the same can also be said about Doncaster maiden winner Theoryofeverything for the Gosden’s. James Ferguson has his Newmarket team in fine shape winning with 5 of his last 10 runners and sends his Zoology here who has 26lb to find with the favourite but it wouldn’t be a shock were he to outrun his odds with his latest win already been boosted by the runner up scooting up at Newmarket this week. A non betting race as Chaldean should win and is priced accordingly. Ayr 15:00 Only seven face the starter for this Grade 2 2m 4 1/2F Future Champions Novices’ Chase. The race that appears to be the key to the outcome of this contest is the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown in February won by Gerri Colombe. Nicky Henderson’s Balco Coastal ran a blinder in finishing runner up to the useful winner with Olly Murphy’s Thunder Rock 3 3/4L back in third place having not jumped that fluently. The pair re-oppose here on the same terms and there shouldn’t be that much between the pair with both having run in one of the big novice chases at Cheltenham with no success. Preference has to be with the former who could top a good day for the Seven Barrows trainer and his jockey Nico De Boinville. Emma Lavelle saddles her Hang In There who has his ground but has to shoulder a 5lb penalty for winning the Rising Stars Novices Chase at Wincanton last November and an absence to overcome whilst Jamie Snowden’s Datsalrightgino has to put a poor effort at Cheltenham behind him when pulling up in the Plate. BALCO COASTAL 1 point win @ 2/1 bet365 Newbury 15:15 A smaller than usual field of fourteen go to post for the BetGoodwin Spring Cup run over the straight mile of the Berkshire course. The favourite will be the William Haggas trained four year old Lattam who won the Irish Lincoln on very soft ground at The Curragh four weeks ago and despite a 5lb rise in the weights must go close although he has been very well found in the market. John and Thady Gosden’s Saga is a quirky sort but has been gelded now and wearing cheek pieces for the first time it would be no shock if he was to run well for his Royal owner. Three of these ran in the Lincoln, form which has already been boosted by the 1-2 of Bopedro and Empirestateofmind at Newmarket this week who finished 8th and 7th in that race. Back in 9th was Richard Spencer’s Revich that day and he can confirm that form with the two that finished behind him that day in Jimi Hendrix and Atrium. He could be a bit of each way value here. Bear Force One did well to win on the all-weather last time from a high draw and has run well here before having won two of his four starts here. His 4lb rise can be negated by Billy Loughnane’s 5lb claim and he too could run well. Lattam is the most likely winner but is short enough now and I’ll play Bear Force One and Revich small each way. REVICH 1/2 point each way @ 16/1 bet365 1/5th 1234 BEAR FORCE ONE 1/2 point each way @ 14/1 Paddy Power 1/5th 1234 Ayr 15:35 The day’s feature race is the Scottish Grand National which has attracted 23 runners and is run over just short of four miles. A wide open contest with the weights headed by Nicky Henderson’s Dusart. The two favourites Monbeg Genius and Kittys Light both appear to have a solid look about them with slight preference for the latter who ran so well in this race last year and is actually 3lb lower than his mark this time around. He will however need to jump better than when winning the Eider mind but has to be part of the staking plan. Monbeg Genuius brings the best piece of recent form to the table with his third to Grand National winner Corach Rambler at the Cheltenham Festival although he is unproven at todays marathon trip. One horse who does look over priced currently and has no issues with the four mile trip is ex Hunter Chaser Magna Sam who improved for a stable change when winning after an absence at Musselburgh over four miles. Form which has already been well advertised by the subsequent victories of three of those behind him. He looks the value bet in the race. Lucinda Russell, fresh from last weekends Grand National victory, has good chances with not just Your Own Story but also with 2021 winner Mighty Thunder who is worth a small each way saver as he is so well handicapped at present. MAGNA SAM 2 points each way @ 20/1 Betfred 1/5th 12345 KITTYS LIGHT 1 point win @ 9/2 William Hill MIGHTY THUNDER 1/2 point each way @ 20/1 Betfred 1/5th 12345