Rory Delargy

GOODWOOD SATURDAY

2.50 BETFRED ‘TREBLE ODDS ON LUCKY 15’s’ HANDICAP (7F)

It’s tempting to row in again with Lincoln, who has been notably unlucky in a number of handicaps at this trip in the last year, and got no run at all at Haydock last week, finishing hard on the bridle and giving every indication he’d have gone very close with a clear run. Unfortunately, he’s once again been dealt a cruel hand with a very wide draw here, and it’s not hard to envisage him being compromised once again by poor track position. The race I really want to back him in is the Victoria Cup at Ascot, in which he was an excellent second last year, but he’s in danger of becoming too well handicapped, and a generous drop of 2lb since Haydock means he’s in danger of missing the cut. Should he again suffer ill-luck here, he may get another ease from the assessor, and that could be curtains as far as Ascot is concerned. Hopefully he’ll run well enough to maintain his current rating and sneak into the big race, in which case I’ll be dusting off my betting boots. It’s a watching brief today, however.

NEWMARKET SATURDAY

2:00 championsofracing.co.uk SUFFOLK STAKES (1M1F)

Master The World is much better suited by the nature of big-field handicaps than he is by more tactically run races, hence his inability to break through at pattern level, and he will not roll over easily despite conceding weight all round here. The son of Mastercraftsman runs best in headgear, so it’s encouraging that David Elsworth, unlike last year, starts him out with cheekpieces fitted. The booking of Silvestre de Sousa also catches the eye, and the pair came within a whisker of winning the Cambridgeshire over course and distance last September. Master The World is clearly vulnerable to improvers, but not as much as the market might suggest, and he looks certain to give a bold sight from his positive stalls position.

2:30 PEARL BLOODSTOCK PALACE HOUSE STAKES (5F)

With a big field for this dash, a high draw is expected to prove a significant advantage, and that augurs well for the chances of Waady who is unbeaten at this trip, and is the type to improve markedly as a four-year-old given his physical scope. John Gosden’s charge has also been gelded since last season, and is expected to return stronger than ever, giving hope that he can take high rank among the current sprinting crop. He’ll need to develop if he’s to compete at the highest level at six furlongs, which was his obvious failing a year ago, but this looks a perfect starting point, and he is more likely than a few of his rivals to be ready at the first time of asking.

3:45 QIPCO 2000 GUINEAS STAKES (1M)

Air Force Blue stamped his name on this contest when blitzing his rivals in the Dewhurst, and while he does need to prove that he can stretch his impressive speed to a mile, it’s hard to see him beaten unless one of his rivals can find unnatural improvement. Ironically, it’s the horse who chased him home in the Dewhurst who appeals as the type to progress most as a three-year-old, but the fact that Massaat was beaten three and a quarter lengths by the favourite in October just underlines the task he faces. Marcel is a bigger threat if his Racing Post Trophy win is taken at face value, and perhaps the impression created there that he was taking advantage of the misfortune of others is wide of the mark, with the winning time alone suggesting that Peter Chapple-Hyam’s colt deserves full credit for that success. He was a generous price a week or two ago, but the market has partially corrected that anomaly, although he still makes more appeal at current odds than Stormy Antarctic and Galileo Gold.

THIRSK SATURDAY

3.55 totepool THIRSK HUNT CUP HANDICAP (1M)

A high draw is a big help over this trip when the ground rides soft at Thirsk, and Wilde Inspiration looks to have plenty going for him after a solid second at Haydock a week ago. That was a race Julie Camacho’s gelding had won a year earlier, but he’s clearly better than ever, and will appreciate the softer ground he meets here. Joe Doyle is back on board and his claim will be useful in helping offset a small rise in the weights for Haydock, with the rider showing he gets on well with the horse in a few spins last season.

King To Be is an intriguing runner, having shown he’s at his best fresh in the past, but he’s unproven on ground slower than good, which must be a worry, and I’d like to see him in headgear before getting involved, as his dam, who showed similar quirks, showed improved form when belatedly fitted with blinkers. Of the outsiders, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the unreliable Mukhayyam will put his best foot forward for a change, and Tim Easterby’s charge ought to do much better than when faced with an inadequate six furlongs on his stable debut recently.

NEWMARKET SUNDAY

2:25 CHARM SPIRIT AT TWEENHILLS IN 2017 DAHLIA STAKES (1M1F)

Arabian Queen’s superiority here is based on one standout effort, and it should pay to look elsewhere, with Irish Rookie making more appeal than her main rivals at the prices. Martyn Meade’s filly ran well in last year’s Guineas, but stepped up markedly on that when second to Ervedya in the French equivalent, and she proved that to be no fluke with a fine third behind her elders in the Sun Chariot Stakes here last autumn. Still low-mileage and likely to find this trip well within her compass, she looks as likely a winner as anything in this Group 2 and is much too big in the betting at the general 12/1, and would appeal at half those odds.

3:40 QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS STAKES (1M)

Lumiere didn’t have a great deal in hand of her rivals in the Cheveley Park Stakes here last autumn, but she managed to get the field off the bridle by pushing on early, and arguably did too much too soon herself, so she is worth marking up on the bare form. The presence of Alice Springs in a close fourth merely underlines to what extent the race became a test of stamina at the trip, and the winner will surely stay a mile on that evidence. She has shown her liking for Newmarket’s terrain twice, and will presumably attempt to emulate the same trainer’s Attraction in making all here. It would be folly to assume that we’ve seen the best of her despite her win at the top level, and she retains plenty of scope for further physical development.

RECOMMENDED

MASTER THE WORLD 2.00 Newmarket - 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (Hills)

WAADY 2.30 Newmarket - 1pt win @ 8/1 (general)

WILDE INSPIRATION 3.55 Thirsk - 1pt win

SUNDAY

IRISH ROOKIE 2.25 Newmarket - 1pt e/w @ 12/1 (general)