14.30 - I'm looking to take the heads of the market on here. Aiden's 2yo's have been poor the first 2 days. Cadamosto won the same race as Caravaggio won the other year. Form doesn't look good and he didn't exactly look smart. Could have needed the experience but from what we've seen so far I wouldn't bank on him taking a big step forward. Has also missed several intended engagements which would have been run on soft ground. Lucci looks a good pacemaker after making all last time. My strongest two selections here KHUNAN and LITTLE EARL. Both drawn near Lucci and Little Earl especially wants a toe into the race. Had to make the running from his draw at Sandown last time which didn't suit but he stayed on nicely for 2nd place. Before that he bolted up at Catterick from a terrible draw. Drawn wide and he was left wondering in the middle of the track but oh my god when Kevin Stott asked the question he bolted off. Quickened so so smartly yet still showed some greenness. Kev never picked up his whip just shaked the reins once and he was gone and once more to keep his mind on the job late on. The time was good. The 3rd place horse won next time out. Whenever Robert Cowell sends them to this race they're usually on the premises at big prices. He did win the race in 2016. Khunan didn't get home over 6f last time at Pontefract. Drops back to a stiff 5 which should be perfect. His dam won over 6f but was also a 5f winner at Beverley. His sire Twilight Son was a Royal Ascot winner. His winning time at Ripon 3 starts back was very good and the time from his 2nd at Pontefract 2 runs back was good also. That was on good to firm and I don't think it'll be any worse that good which he'll enjoy being back on a sounder surface. May Blossom who beat him 2 runs back at Pontefract has disappointed since but they pulled so far clear of the others they left them in Castleford town center. I think Khunan is a good horse and just hasn't had his ideal conditions. Again Richard Fahy doesn't send many to this race but they're never far away. After doing so well for us this season I will also be having a small EW on NAVELLO. He wasn't suited by the very deep ground at Sandown last time but still ran a good race. Will be happy that it hasn't rained too much here. Draw doesn't look great but Wesley Ward's other runner Nakatomi is drawn next to him so hopefully there should be pace on the far side also. Nicola will have walked the track and I trust her to get the best possible sit.

 

15.05 - This is a much trickier race. Pythagoras looks the pace option but Snapraeterea has also led plenty of times in the past as have both of Aiden's horses. I think there should be a good pace on. A strong pace could catch Mohaafeth out who steps up in grade. The Rosstafarian is liked so much by Oisin he wanted to go over to ride him last time. Didn't in the end but is able to today. Will prefer being back on a sounder surface. Had a terrible draw the last day but ultimately isn't bred for this step up in trip at all and only really stayed on past beaten horses last time. Could be a non stayer with the strong pace over this new trip. Movin Time's form has been franked by Kemari but with him winning over 1m6f. Movin Time appeared to win in a quick time at Newmarket but the 1m2f handicap the race after was ran at a much quicker time through th first half of the race (some of the sectionals are 3 seconds quicker than Movin Time race) so they all fell in a heap at the end whereas Movin Time's race half hour earlier had even sectionals which exaggerated how quickly Movin Time quickened at the 3 pole. He could be a good horse but that Newmarket race Roger targets and none of his horses that have won it have really kicked on. So with a strong pace and a flat and more conventional track it leaves me with ONE RULER. He didn't handle Epsom, he didn't have a clean run and he didn't stay. Will Buick gets on him today and he's already had a couple of winners this week so hopefully he'll keep him out of trouble today. He drops back in trip which should help. He's got the form as a 2yo and he was behind Poetic Flare, Lucky Vega and Master Of The Seas on seasonal reappearance at Newmarket. Charlie and Will won this with Hawkbill a few seasons ago.

 

15.40 - Loving Dream looks likely to set the pace here as she has done in the past and also because it'll help the apparent yard first string Gloria Mundi settle. Dubai Fountain won't be far off the pace again. Arista will also appreciate a stronger pace here but I didn't think she looked the strongest of stayers last time over 1m2f. I think Noon Star is too short here. For me DIVINELY has to be worth a shot. Ran well in the Oaks trial just didn't quite get home. She still went for the Oaks and came 3rd which tells me they knew she wasn't fully wound up for the trial and that she'd come on for the run rather than she didn't stay and isn't good enough. I liked the way she pushed through a gap in the trial and committed herself without thinking about it. It shows guts and class. Aiden has won 3 out the last 7 running's f this race, including with Magic Wand in 2018 who was 4th in the Oaks before winning this next time. I also want an EW on TWISTED REALITY.  Hopelessly outpaced behind a few of these last time before staying on. Dam was a 1m5f winner so I think she could be bred for this. The rain that's eased the ground slightly will have helped. Ralph Beckett knows the family fairly well and on the unexposed potential at this trip I'm excited by what she could be. Stall 3 looks good and a nice pace should help her.

 

16.15 - It's not easy to win 4 Gold Cups let alone 4 in a row. So on that basis I think Stradivarius should be opposed but I'll certainly doth ones cap should he win. It would be a great achievement. Trueshan is hotly fancied based on soft ground but I don't think we'll see soft in the description. Subjectivist was very impressive but lacks that recent run which has put me off. Last years Derby winner, Serpentine has been supplemented for this but is going a mile further than ever today so I can't back an unknown as big as this. I think the fact so that ground shouldn't be too bad will suit 2 horses. SPANISH MISSION and EMPOROR OF THE SUN. Spanish Mission is one of very few in here that have won over further than 2 miles. 2m2f winner on good ground at Doncaster. Didn't have the pace to challenge Subjectivist over 2miles at Meydan but ran well all the same. Looked better than ever when beating 2 good horses in Santiago and Sir Ron Priestley at York last time. That was arguably a career best and William was on board that day which is a positive. Feels like he's been around a while but he's still only a 5yo and has clearly enjoyed moving to the Andrew Balding yard. He's 3-6 since moving there. Emperor Of The Sun looks the new kid on the block at just 4 years old. This race has been won by 6 4yo's from the last 9 running's. He didn't look to have the pace for a group 3 1m6f race on seasonal reappearance but he stayed on nicely suggesting he'd get further. The next day he was again slightly outpaced before staying on very well and the further he went the better he got. He just kept finding more and more and I suspect when he crossed the line the last day he had plenty left. It's an unknown but he should have his ground which should help him get this new trip. He looks a really exciting stayer.

 

17.00 - It's a big field handicap but I'm going to keep this simple. AIR TO AIR is still well handicapped and has the perfect jockey on board for him still in Jamie Spencer. He'll be held up and from stall 8 Jamie can go where he likes. Goes on any ground, will be doing his best work late on we just need to hope he gets the gaps. Gets in right at the bottom of the weights and subsequently 8st7lbs is Jamie's lowest riding weight in the last 12 months. Will also be having a small EW on QUINTILUS who has promised so much but hasn't delivered so far. Been gelded so that should have settled him down. Hung last time at Sandown but get stall 28 of 30 here so Will doesn't need to go anywhere he just needs to use the rail to help guide the horse.

 

17.35 - SIR LAMORAK could be a group horse in a handicap here because he's had a small niggle it meant he missed the Derby which he was fancied in and therefore keeps a mark of 100 and gets into this race. You could view that it's a big drop from an intended run in the Derby to a class 2 handicap and that could mean he's not fully fit which is fair. However he did also have an entry in some group races this week  but they chose this. Therefore I think they're just taking advantage of his mark and he genuinely is a group horse in a handicap. It's a very poor race the rest are a much of a muchness. I could see Ryan Moore firm on the snaff turning in and laughing at these lot. First Light won by plenty last time impossible to know what time she could have put up as PJ eased her down in the final furlong. The rest behind her that day are of a very poor standard. Not sure Soapy Stevens needed dropping in trip. Surrey Gold owners backed their horse the last day and in a double with their other runner so Surrey Gold was surely laid out and primed for that gamble last time. Tougher today. Incase Sir Lamorak isn't fully fit I will have an EW on SISKANY who could also be a group horse in a handicap. The race he won easily last time has been won by some good horses in recent years such as Dartmouth and Gold Mount. Goes on any ground, comfortably beat Surefire on seasonal reappearance and looks like this trip will suit. Yard and jockey won this in 2015,

 

18.10 - We finish with another big field handicap which again often goes the way of high draws. Th biggest weight carried to victory from the last 12 running's of this is 9st8lbs. My 3 selections are; RAISING SAND, LORD RAPSCALLION and CORVAIR. Course specialist Raising Sand probably doesn't have it quite soft enough but first time cheekpieces often work the oracle in these big field handicaps and Saffie one of my claimers to follow this season takes off a useful 5lbs. 1lbs below last winning mark before you take off Saffie's 5lbs. We saw a bit of success from the low draws yesterday and Saffie will be brave enough to stick to that far rail no matter how tight it gets. Lord Rapscallion holds some good form this season in fairness albeit over shorter trip. Back upto a mile and a straight mile at that could help as he likes a pace to aim at. Versatile ground wise and has found himself on an 8lbs lower mark than when he joined the yard. High draw should be big plus and Marco on board also looks a big bonus after his win yesterday. Stuart Williams knows the time of day. Corvair never really progressed with the potential he showed. Just about put up a career best last time however and the race was run in a quick time. He bumped into a group horse there. That was his first time over a straight track on turf which he certainly seemed to enjoy the switch. Can be held up again and produced late, through horses. The way he ran that race last time at Newmarket would really suit the style of this track. Mark Crehan another of my claimers to follow this season gets the ride and he takes off a useful 3lbs and has a 16% SR in the last 2 weeks. Jockey at the top his game and gets a favorable high draw. If  Corvair wants to show us what we all thought he was capable of a few seasons ago then he's well handicapped.

 

Bets;

14.30 - Khunan 16/1 EW Bet365 4places, Little Earl 40/1 EW Betfair 4places, Navello 28/1 EW Betfair 4places.

15.05 - One Ruler 11/2 EW Betfair

15.40 - Divinely 13/2 EW William Hill 4places, Twisted Reality 9/1 EW William Hill 4places

16.15 - Spanish Mission 20/1 EW Betfair 4places, Emperor Of The Sun 20/1 EW Skybet 4places

17.00 - Air To Air 7/1 EW 4places Bet365, Quintillus 28/1 EW 4places Skybet

17.35 - Sir Lamorak 4/1 Bet365, Siskany 8/1 EW Skybet 6places

18.10 - Lord Rapscallion 16/1 EW, Corvair 25/1 EW, Raising Sand 25/1 EW all Skybet 7places