Newmarket and Doncaster

surprisingly there are no group races at all in Britain and Ireland today, but plenty of very competitive handicaps. Our best bet at Doncaster is Grey Mirage (Marco Botti/ William Buick), who scored in splendid style at Sandown on heavy ground at the end of April and then missed a couple of races (including the German 2000 Guineas). He is reckoned to be up to group class, and with the ground back in his favour can defeat a strong field in the mile handicap at 15.05 CET. Buick looks the jockey to follow here and has several more winning chances, including Ed Dunlop´s Sir Maximilian at 16.15, and John Gosden´s Starboard at 17.20. Dr. Marwan Koukash could also see his colours carried successfully here; in the 7 furlongs handicap at 16.45 he has two runners, Fathsta (David Simcock/ Buick) and KIngscroft (Mark Johnston/ Andrew Elliott) and they could both be involved in the finish.

While Buick is at Doncaster, his boss John Gosden has booked Ryan Moore to partner Trade Commissioner in the 10 furlongs handicap at 16.30 at Newmarket, and this one looks a good thing on the basis of his easy maiden win at Sandown on only his second lifetime start. The 6 furlongs handicap at 15.55 looks much more tricky, although Pearl Ice (David Barron/ Graham Gibbons) looks likely to start a warm favourite after his easy win on Thursday at Ripon. But there are plenty of dangers, including Swiss Franc (David Elsworth/ Mikael Barzalona) and Irish Heartbeat ( Fahey/ Freddie Tylicki). The 1 1/2 mile handicap at 17.00 is the most valuable race here and looks wide open.

Ex-German Lyssio (Mike Attwater/ Mark Coumbe) is on a good weight and is not out of it, but our main fancies are Muleqen ( Marcus Tregoning/ Tagdh O´Shea), High Jinx (James Fanshawe/ Ryan Moore) and High Office (Fahey/ Tylicki).