John Gosden’s Linguistic (2.40) can follow up his recent win in a valuable Newmarket sales race in the listed Dee Stakes one of the feature events on the final day of Chester’s May Meeting.
The selection pulled hard and was left in front too soon on his reappearance in what was only a modest contest for the money, but he had shown distinct promise in two starts as a juvenile and his Dante/King Edward VII entries suggest he is thought a decent colt by the Gosden camp.
Ryan Moore rides Cook Islands for Aidan O’Brien who has saddled the winner of this event three times in the last four years; the colt will appreciate returning to this better ground having finished fourth of seven in the Ballysax Stakes last time and he looks sure to come on for that run although stall eight (of eight) is a concern.
Seven go to post for the Ormonde Stakes and the ground looks to have gone against Cyrmo who was impressive at Thirsk on soft ground on his reappearance for local trainer Tom Dascombe. There is no guaranteed pace in the race and perhaps Darryl Holland might try and nick it from the front on Blue Rambler but the lightly-raced Father Christmas (3.10) gets the vote despite the fact that he has been off the track since December, no sorry June, when he finished third in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The selection will enjoy the ground and at 5/1 with BetVictor might be worth an each way interest in a trappy contest.
Ryan Moore partners the Queen’s Dartmouth (must be after an OBE) who is the 15/8 favourite with BetVictor but whose rating jumped 12lbs for winning on the all-weather at Chelmsford last time; he must also carry a 3lbs penalty for that success.
Wicklow Brave wears a hood for the first time returning from a nice break for Willie Mullins and must go close although he can be slowly away and I wouldn’t want him to get detached if I had supported him.
In the 3-y-old handicap over the minimum distance El Astronaute (3.45) is ridden by Silvestre De Sousa, has the plum draw in one and has finished first and second in his two previous starts on the Roodeye. At 4/1 with BetVictor he must go close although top-weight Kachy will be hard to beat from the Dascombe yard.
At Ascot Argent Knight (5.30) can land the opener for Keith Dalgleish who brings the gelding down from Scotland; the young trainer has, at the time of writing, won with three of his last four runners and this inmate ran some good races at Ascot when trained by William Jarvis.
Hugo Palmer‘s Baydar (8.10) must have been slow to come to hand as the trainer had high hopes for his colt after he broke his maiden at Lingfield back in November; he represents a yard in terrific form and he must go close with Frankie Dettori in the plate.
There’s a good summer jumps card at Market Rasen and the maiden Three Colours Red (3.55) will appreciate a return to a sound surface having won a 12f handicap at the Curragh on fast ground in his native Ireland. The 4-y-old is 2lbs higher than when third at Wetherby on soft ground when conditions went against him.
Charlie Longsdon has been among the winners of late and No No Mac is a dual course winner who is blinkered for the first time and ridden by Aidan Coleman which suggests connection mean business. The vote, however, goes to the mare Double Silver (4.30) who ran an excellent race at Ludlow coming back from a break last month and has been given a month to get over those exertions.
At Nottingham Snow Moon (6.10) can break her maiden at the second time of asking having shaped with promise on debut over a mile here back in October; the selection holds an entry in the Gp 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at the Royal Meeting and can take this en route to Ascot.
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