IF today’s Abingdon Stakes is ever an Oaks pointer, it is an Irish Oaks pointer, like it was in 2018, when Sea Of Class won it before going on to win at the Curragh five weeks later, and in 2012, when Great Heavens won it, before winning the Lancashire Oaks and then the Irish Oaks.

This year, in all of its topsy-turviness, today’s contest could be an Investec Oaks pointer too.

Domino Darling is as short as 10/1 for Epsom, so it isn’t surprising that she was a short-priced favourite but now misses today’s contest.

The fact that Gold Wand won her maiden at Newbury on Thursday has done nothing to weaken that form, but it that filly’s stable companion, Cabaletta, now looks the obvious one.

Roger Varian’s filly is herself a well-bred individual, by Mastercraftsman out of the top-class staying Galileo mare Allegretto, winner of the Henry II Stakes, the Lancashire Oaks, the Goodwood Cup, the Prix Royal-Oak and the Park Hill Stakes.

The Cheveley Park Stud’s filly has raced just once, she stayed on well to win her maiden on her racecourse debut at Yarmouth last October. There was a lot to like about the manner in which she got the better of a well-bred filly of John Gosden’s, Frankly Darling, who is owned, like Domino Darling, by Anthony Oppenheimer. And, as with the filly that Domino Darling beat on her racecourse debut, Gold Wand, Frankly Darling came out this season and won her maiden, at Newcastle on the day that racing resumed in Britain two weeks ago.

Cabaletta should appreciate the step up to 10 furlongs today, this distance should be a minimum for her, and she won’t mind if they get more rain at Newbury.

Diomed Stakes

Later on the card, King Of Comedy is the correct favourite for the Group 3 Diomed Stakes. Winner of last year’s Heron Stakes, John Gosden’s colt ran a big race to go down by just a neck to Circus Maximus in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, and he wasn’t beaten far by Japan and Crystal Ocean and Elarqam in the Juddmonte International.

You can pick holes in the cases for his main market rivals. The ground might go too soft for Zaaki, while Tabarrak may want better ground too, and he is probably better over seven furlongs than he is over a mile. Marie’s Diamond ran out an impressive winner of the Listed Paradise Stakes at Newmarket last Friday, but he had the run of the race there.

It may pay, then, to take a chance on Chatez at a big price. Alan King’s horse loves Newbury. In three runs there, he has won twice, both wins gained over today’s course and distance, and he has finished second once, beaten a neck in a competitive handicap, when the 10-furlong trip probably stretched his stamina.

He hasn’t run since last April, but he is a horse who is at his best when he is fresh. His record after a break of 50 days or more reads 31012441. He is nine years old, but he won the Spring Cup over today’s course and distance last year as an eight-year-old, and this is a race that can be won by members of the older brigade, with two of the last four renewals going to an eight-year-old.

Chatez is stepping up in class from handicaps, he has a little bit to find on official ratings, but that is more than factored into his odds, and the more rain that falls, the more his prospects improve. With nine runners, at the price, he is an each-way bet.

Recommended

Cabaletta, 3.00 Newbury, 2 point win,

Chatez, 3.35 Newbury, 25/1 (generally) 1 point each-way,