2.40pm Sandown - British EBF Maiden Stakes
This could be a really good maiden contest in the long run, with many very expensive purchases making their debut, including Consolidation for Wathnan racing who have started the new season very well with their two-year-olds, and all of them have been pretty forward on their debuts, so that is something to keep in mind heading into this race.
Another expensive purchase was Royal Officer for William Buick and Charlie Appleby for the boys in blue, who was the most expensive purchase at the Craven Breeze up sales a few months back, costing a whopping 1 million guineas after just being a 125,000-guinea yearling, so a massive up-sell for connections who got him ready for the Breeze up sales.
He is bred in the purple and expected to be a nice type, also related to Hidden Dimples who put up 100+ Racing Post Ratings when racing in France, she also won a listed contest there, so his relations seem to be pretty decent in their own right. The pedigree and relatives may suggest a step up in trip will more than be needed shortly for this horse, but the 7 furlong seems a perfect starting point for this son of Galileo.
The boys in the blue could have a nice type on their hands, and with William Buick booked to ride, the horses are usually pretty forward and ready to go when he gets jocked up. No matter the result of this race on Friday, he is very much one to keep an eye on going forward as he progresses with racing and steps up in trip.
- Selection - Royal Officer
3.35pm York - Juddmonte EBF Fillies Restricted Novice Stakes
Karl Burke’s River Seine will no doubt be well fancied due to her trainer doing very well with these sort of types, but I very much like the way Sunshine Soul travelled into the maiden contest at Nottingham on her debut last time out just nine days ago.
Now she does have the pretty quick turn-around to deal with here on Friday, but she was given an easy time of things in the closing stages and not knocked about in any sense of the word. The winner of the contest that day was Leovanni for Karl Burke, who was a mightily impressive winner on debut for the Wathnan racing guys, and that could be another two-year-old that they send to Royal Ascot just next week.
The George Boughey horse was only beaten by a little over two lengths that day, and did stay on pretty well in the closing stages, albeit not being asked too hard of a question. She will learn a whole lot from that experience last time out, and I feel the slightly more forgiving ground conditions will suit this filly, and given the fact she has had that run not too long ago, I expect the experience to be fully etched into her memory and her come on for the run here at York on Friday.
As mentioned, the way she travelled into that race was what really caught my eye, as she was the best traveller and last off the bridle, which is enough for me to vote for her on Friday.
- Selection - Sunshine Soul
5.30pm Goodwood - Sir Eric Parker Memorial EBF Restricted Maiden Fillies Stakes
Ollie Sangster is an emerging trainer who is doing very well with the two-year-olds he is nurturing at the moment, and his Lighting Force is very much the one to side with for me in the opening contest at Goodwood on Friday evening.
She receives a few pounds off most of the field here, and with that 2nd-placed effort on her debut at Kempton last time, she was only beaten by a head in the end to Aviation Time who has since come 3rd in the Hilary Needler at Beverley last weekend.
That form could be pretty decent in the end, and Lighting Force ran Aviation Time all the way to the line where she made good headway with two furlongs to go after a slow start. Due to that slow start she was kept at the rear of the field throughout the race before making nice headway at the cut-away, where she pressed the leader all the way to the line and just could not do enough to get her head in front that day.
However, with that experience under her belt here, I fully expect her to be in good shape ready for this on Friday. Being out of Zoustar she will have plenty of speed to boot, and with theevery important experience under the belt, she is the one to side with for me as she will no doubt head into this with connections expecting her to win at the 2nd attempt.
One thing I will note is she was 11/1 on her debut last time, and we have seen the Ollie Sangster horses get well fancied at times on debut, so the fact she was double-figure odds on the day might suggest she wasn't expected to win or run well at that stage, but she did so that run could be marked up slightly. Keep an eye on the market for her heading into the opening contest at Goodwood on Friday.
- Selection - Lightning Force
All prices are from Planet Sport Bet and are subject to change
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell