It's been a week of mixed news in the racing world with the yet more corruption investigations resulting in lengthy bans from the sport for a few leading individuals, including jockey Eddie Ahern.
The Irish 1000 Guineas
Moving onto Sunday's Irish 1000 Guineas and at the time of writing declarations have yet to be made for the fillies classic.
Just the Judge is the horse I tipped to win the English Guineas and I hope she gains compensation here having just been touched off by Sky Lantern.
The fledgling training career of Charlie Hills is going well and a classic win would be just the job for the Lambourn handler to enable him to come out of father Barry's shadow. That run was her first of the season and with likely improvement from that run should take all the beating here.
Aidan O'Brien will be doing his best to stop him, though, and although he has
Moth in the race, she's in the Oaks and is more likely to run at Epsom where the trip looks more suitable on pedigree.
Dermot Weld's
Big Break is an interesting runner. Earlier in the week Weld suggested she needed a drop of rain in order to take her chance and at the time of writing it is good to firm at the track. I don't think she needs a bog, just good safe ground. She is a sister to the hardy and talented Famous Name and has just had the three starts as a juvenile. This is her starting point this term and should give a good account.
Aidan O'Brien also has Guineas fifth
Snow Queen on track for the race and the horse who finished one spot behind her at Newmarket,
Maureen, represents Richard Hannon.
Harasiya represents John Oxx and she was last seen finishing behind Sky Lantern in the Moyglare last Autumn. Her stable have been slow to come to hand this term but they have been amongst the winners recently.
Viztoria made a winning reappearance for trainer Eddie Lynam who thinks she's a special filly. She had the option of the Newmarket Guineas, but this track is expected to suit her better. I tipped
Just the Judge for the English Guineas and I'm going to stick with her to gain compensation here.
Temple Stakes at Haydock
It's a shame that Pearl Secret doesn't run in the Temple Stakes at Haydock on Saturday as I've been looking forward to seeing David Barron's star sprinter run this season. He will now wait for Royal Ascot having scoped dirty in the run up to this race.
Sole Power won the race two years ago and was just touched off by Bated Breath 12 months ago. He ran a superb race to win the Palace House Stakes last time out and will be popular to win the race once again. He wants fast ground to be seen at his best and at the time of writing it is described as good. I'd be keen if it dries out a bit from that description though.
Reckless Abandon is an interesting opponent for Clive Cox. The colt was unbeaten in five starts as a two year old and this is his first run since his win in the Middle Park last October. Connections have decided to stick to sprinting trips this campaign when they realised he was unlikely to stay the classic trip of a mile. It's tough for three-year-old sprinters against some of their battle hardened opponents, but he has plenty of class and can make up into a top class performer over five and six furlongs.
Swiss Spirit is an interesting runner for John Gosden having made his debut for the trainer with a respectable seventh in the Duke of York. He should strip fitter for that outing.
Kingsgate Native showed he retains plenty of ability when second to Sole Power at Newmarket last time out, but his last win came in this race three years ago and he isn't a reliable betting proposition nowadays. His trainer Robert Cowell is doing a great job with him, though, and he should win again.
Spirit Quartz, like Kingsgate Native, is trained by Robert Cowell and runs in the colours of Qatar Racing. He has some decent form to his name including a second in the Nunthorpe, but again isn't the easiest and may want fast ground.
Ballista beat Masamah at Chester last time out but it was said afterwards that he likes a turning track and it could be that Haydock won't suit as well, although he did win his maiden at the track. It's tough for three year olds but I think Reckless Abandon will become a top sprinter this season and I'll go with him unless the ground is very fast, in which case Sole Power will be hard to beat.
The Silver Bowl at Haydock
Staying at Haydock and the Silver Bowl looks a tricky handicap to sort out. This mile contest has been won by some smart performers in the past, including Gabrial who won it 12 months ago for Richard Fahey, who has Gabrial's Kaka in this year's race.
Andrew Balding's
Here Comes When is one of the protagonists. He has been improved for the fitting of a hood and could be a horse for something like the Britannia at Royal Ascot if he continues to progress. He won over seven and a half furlongs at Chester last time out on just his fourth start and shouldn't have any problems with the extra 100 yards here.
David Barron's
Newstead Abbey is another on the upgrade although he is more exposed than the Balding horse.
Hay Dude is one of a couple in this for Elaine Burke and their team continue in great form -
Georgian Bay is the other.
Richard Hannon has a couple of interesting runners too with
Baltic Knight and
Alhebayeb. The former looks to be first string and steps up to a mile for the first time having run a creditable third behind Dundonnell at Newmarket last time out. He runs as if the extra distance will suit. Hannon's other runner has top weight to shoulder in this handicap having run in some top races as a juvenile. His first handicap outing came in the Free Handicap behind Garswood in April where he was beaten off the same mark he runs off in this.
It's a wide open race, but Andrew Balding's
Here Comes When must have a great chance off his current rating.
Selections
Magician in the Irish 2000 Guineas @ 9/4 with Sky Bet
Just the Judge in the Irish 1000 Guineas @ 11/4 with Sky Bet
Reckless Abandon in the Temple Stakes @ 3/1 with Sky Bet
Here Comes When in the Silver Bowl at Haydock
