The Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh (3.45) gilds a glorious 10-race ITV Racing show this Saturday, when supporting action comes from Beverley, Goodwood and Haydock Park.
English Guineas second Field Of Gold is odds-on to avenge his Newmarket defeat in Ireland, but may have to settle for a supporting role again if our selection has his way. Elsewhere our picks go in Haydock’s Betfred Silver Bowl (1.50) and Temple Stakes (3.30) with an eye on the weather forecast.
Coles’ colt well positioned to benefit from weather forecast
The Haydock going is good-to-firm at the time of writing (Thursday night) but should be markedly different by time racing gets underway, with at least 4.3mm of rain expected before 13:00 as it stands.
By virtue of the Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap (1.50) being a three-year-old race, few of the runners have had much choice but to have only proven themselves on all-weather, good or good-to-firm going to date.
Haydock’s racing surface is notoriously capable of soaking up water and while it’s unlikely the ground will be anywhere near heavy by the off, it’s heartening that AFENTIKO has a listed second to his name on such going in France last year.
The highest-rated colt in the contest, there has to a possibility he’s expected to step up on that rating given the brilliant William Buick has been jocked up by Paul and Oliver Cole. Every drop of rain will be a hindrance to many of his rivals, but not to him.
1.50 Haydock - Afentiko to win
@ 17/2
Course scorer can leave Longchamp disappointment behind
Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust would be a shoo-in for the Group 3 Temple Stakes (3.40) were it not for the rain anticipated to hit Haydock on Friday evening.
However, a bit more give underfoot should open the race up and while previous soft-ground scorer Rumstar has every chance of grabbing his second win of the campaign, an each-way chance is taken on James Tate’s ELECTRIC STORM.
The lightly-raced five-year-old won a listed contest over 6f at Haydock on soft ground last term and her 3lbs mares’ allowance and mark of 106 mean she’s effectively racing on level terms with Rumstar.
She was sent off 2/1 favourite in a Longchamp Group 3 won by the opposing Mgheera on her only start so far this season but could only finish a never-involved seventh.
Chunky odds of 14/1 are a fair incentive to chance that she’s overcome that blip and can belatedly justify the bookies’ esteem at a course where she has previous winning form.
3.30 Haydock - Electric Storm to win
@ 14/1
Form of Juddmonte Guineas second string working out nicely
Field Of Gold is likely to be all the rage in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (3.40). New pilot Colin Keane is entrusted with doing what the jocked off Kieran Shoemark couldn’t in the English equivalent and getting the Juddmonte star’s nose home in front.
However, while the Newmarket second’s chance is obvious, he could yet be usurped by his owner-mate COSMIC YEAR, who takes on the favourite after swerving the English Guineas for the King Charles II Stakes over 7f on the Rowley Mile.
The form of that race couldn’t be looking much better. Diego Ventura, four-and-a-half-lengths third that day, scored at listed level on his next outing, while seventh Symbol Of Honour bagged the listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury on his following run.
Harry Charlton’s Kingman colt has yet to be tested over a mile, but won going away at Newmarket and is unlikely to be beaten for failing to get the trip on that evidence. At several times the price of the odds-on favourite, he’s a very viable alternative.
3.40 Curragh - Cosmic Year to win
@ 9//2
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