ITV Racing Tips: Gosden Group 3 hat-trick in the offing

This Saturday’s ITV Racing broadcast serves up seven races from Chester, Haydock and York rising to a crescendo of three consecutive classy Group 3 contests to round out the afternoon’s viewing – The Lester Piggot Fillies’ Stakes (2.58), the Bronte Stakes (3.15) and the John of Gaunt Stakes (3.33).

John and Thady Gosden are well into the swing things after saddling Field Of Gold to land last weekend’s Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Clarehaven pair are fancied to land all three group races.

Cracksman filly has two clear advantages over fellow Arc entry

Not one, but two fillies with Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe entries feature among the declarations for the Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (2.58) in Estrange and SHAHA.
The former also has an entry in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh next month, but preference remains for the latter for two clear reasons.

Firstly, unlike her David-O’Meara-trained rival she is match fit after landing a listed affair over the 1m4f Lester Piggott trip at Goodwood on her seasonal return earlier this month.

Secondly she’s well-bred for middle distances, being sired by former Coronation Cup winner Cracksman. Estrange has yet to prove she gets more than 1m2f and that has to be a doubt given she’s by 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder, who never won over further than a mile.

Goodwood fourth can improve for star jockey and step up in trip

Last year’s Bronte Stakes winner Terms Of Endearment is sure to be popular to repeat the feat on her second start for new trainer William Haggas. She’s the sole entry with past winning form at the 1m6f trip.

However, the eye is drawn to the Gosdens’ SUENO, who is given a significant jockey upgrade in the shape of Ryan Moore for what will be just her fourth career run.
Fourth behind Shaha at Goodwood last time out, a gap closed for her and jockey Luke Catton at a key time in the race. When another opened, she came home very nicely to claim a close fourth on the line.

Whether it was her lack of speed, or the lack of a truly elite jockey that saw her fail to take the first of the openings, this step up in trip under one of the world’s best riders should see her right on both fronts.

John Of Gaunt class horse hard to ignore back at favoured trip

AUDIENCE may not have been the most predictable of horses last season but his class edge is sufficient for it to be chanced that he will be on a going day for the John Of Gaunt Stakes (3.33).

The Cheveley-Park-owned six-year-old is 6lbs clear of his nearest opponent on official ratings and that rival, Kinross, must give him 5lbs. Every other entrant is at least 9lbs in arrears.

Last season Audience won the Group 1 Lockinge over a mile and the Group 2 Lennox Stakes over the 7f trip he’ll face at Haydock on Saturday. His most recent form figures of 0 and 9 can be discounted as failed experiments to try him over a stiff 6f and the return to 7f has every chance of getting his groove back.