Rest of today´s racing

The rest of the Doncaster card is also very strong, although the opening Group Two Champagne Stakes for 2yo´s over 7 furlongs at 15.05 CET has cut up badly and only 4 now go to post. All 4 are useful, but with the Godolphin juveniles now running so well, we confidently expect Outstrip (Charlie Appleby/ Mickael Barzalona) to score here; he was a close second at Goodwood last time and that form is the best in the race.

The other Group Two event, the Park Stakes over 7 furlongs at 16.15 looks much more open, although Aljamaheer (Roger Varian/ Paul Hanagan) and Gregorian (John Gosden/ William Buick) appear to stand out; they were second and third in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, one of the strongest mile races of the season. We also hope that Arnold Lane (Mick Channon/ Sam Hitchcott)- a winner this year at Munich- and Caspar Netscher (David Simcock/ Shane Kelly), winner of last year´s German 2,000 Guineas, run well, while the lightly-weighted 3yo filly Viztoria (Eddie Lynam/ Wayne Lordan) looks dangerous and will love the soft ground.

The big betting race is the Portland Handicap over 5 1/ 2 furlongs at 15.40 always one of the hottest races of the year. Doc Hay (David O´Meara/ Danny Tudhope) won it in 2012 and has a good chance of doubling up, but we also like his stable companion Elusivity (Kieren Fallon). Top-weight Definightly (Roger Charlton/ James Doyle) is a soft-ground specialist and must go on every short list, as does Racy (Brian Ellison/ Ryan Moore); all these are drawn high, and it certainly seems that high numbers (the stands side) have a definite advantage here.

The big day at the Curragh is tomorrow, but today´s card is also decent and features the Group Two Blandford Stakes over 10 furlongs for fillies and mares at 16.35. British raiders usually do well here, and Shirocco Star (Hughie Morrison/ Chris Hayes), Hot Snap (Lady Cecil/ Tom Queally) and Purr Along (Willie Muir/ Frankie Dettori) could well take the first 3 places. Princess Highway (Dermot Weld/ Pat Smullen) and Alive Alive Oh (Tommy Stack/ Fran Berry) look best of the home team, but we go for Hot Snap, rather unlucky at Goodwood last time in the Nassau Stakes.

At Chester, the listed race over an extended 1 1/2 miles at 15.55 has attracted a strong field. Cameron Highland (Roger Varian/ Andrea Atzeni) is penalised for winning a similar race last time, and we are not sure if he can concede the weight to Allied Powers (Michael Bell/ Steve Donohoe) and Tac de Boistron (Marco Botti/ Martin Harley), both of whom will go well on this ground. The last-named had no chance in the Melbourne Cup last year, but his previous French form looks good enough for this.