Author: Joel Roberts

6f Coventry Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2yo) As ever, this looks really tricky with 17 mostly unexposed and improving two-year-olds so it’s not a race to get carried away with. I’m going to throw a few darts and back one from each side of the track, both from the Richard Hannon yard.…

1m  (7f213y) (Rnd) St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Colts)  (Class 1) (3yo) This is the race of the day, given the competitiveness and no standout. The three Coolmore horses have fared well, drawn on the inside in 2, 3 and 4, so they’re likely to try and dictate things with Ontario…

1m4f  (1m4f6y) Cazoo Derby (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Entire Colts & Fillies)  (Class 1) (3yo) I was very keen to back High Definition before he and all the Coolmore horses bar Bolshoi Ballet were withdrawn, but their absence does no harm to this year’s renewal of the great race as a betting proposition.…

1m4f  (1m4f6y) Coral Coronation Cup (Group 1) (British Champions Series)  (Class 1) (4yo+) I like Al Aasy but he’s a wobbly favourite here, as he’s unproven at Group One level and has had his career blips on fast ground. Also wobbly are Japan and his full brother Mogul, both semi cliff horses for these…

1m  Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Group 1) (3yo Colts) (Grande Course) (Turf)  (3yo) English Guineas winner Poetic Flare goes for dual-Classic glory in the French equivalent and there’s no point disputing his place as favourite. I’m keen to take him on as the English Guineas looked like dodgy form with all…

1m (Str) Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (4yo+) Palace Pier is the clear form horse and has 8lb in hand with the second highest rated, Lope Y Fernandez, so it’s hard to argue too much with odds-on quotes. I think with four places each way and only 12…

FTF. Follow those feckers. I’ve picked THUNDEROUS twice before and he’s never let me down, winning at Newbury as a juvenile and the Dante Stakes at three. This looks a nice betting market as he gets 3lbs from the favourite Al Aasy – of whom I’m a fan – while…

1m  (Row) Qipco 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Fillies)  (Class 1) (3yo) Yesterday’s 2,000 Guineas was a bit of a boil over with all the fancied horses bombing, including all of Aidan O’Brien’s, and it would take a real leap of faith to side with his Santa Barbara at 2/1 on…

We now have runners, riders, likely going and the draw for Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, which kicks off the flat season proper. All the main protagonists have received fairly favourable draws except Master Of The Seas (2), so there’s not too much to say there unless you fancy the…

2m  Paddy Power Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)  (4yo+) Call me stubborn but good ground around this track should really suit EPATANTE and she’s a bet at 11/2 against Honeysuckle, particularly as the De Bromhead yard isn’t firing at the moment. The softest ground of the week was on the Tuesday at Cheltenham…