Fahey looks keen on this

Last week worked out all right, given that Jallota was a non-runner at Leicester, Altior won at a hopeless price and Call Me Lord ran away with the Select Hurdle at Sandown, emphasising just how moderate the staying hurdle division is at present. Wholestone was well held in third and looks the sort of horse you need to catch early in the season when the Twiston-Davies yard is flying.

I was pleased for the Bradstocks when Step Back won the bet365, the old Whitbread, though many of them looked exhausted. It’s a long old season and the breed is not as hardy as it used to be. Thus Rock The Kasbah finished a fair second, cheering Philip Hobbs, who has endured a poor season after an early onset of the virus. Rock The Kasbah is worth noting for the Coral Welsh National next Christmas.

I’ve thought for quite a while that Godolphin would go close in both Guineas on Saturday. Masar pointed his toe and really went for it in the Craven and it is hard to see him finishing out of the frame. Being a big fan of Marcel Boussac form, I was all set to go for WILD ILLUSION in the 1000 and there was no doubting Charlie Appleby’s optimism before and after Soliloquy ran away with the Nell Gwyn. But William Buick was impressed with the latter and has chosen her, leaving Wild Illusion to James Doyle. That complicates matters and I shall probably back both at 5/1 and 8/1. If Buick had chosen Wild Illusion, she would probably have started around 9/2 second-favourite.

Jumirah Bridge finished a very good second to the speedy A Momentofmadness on the AW last time and I like that form. He can go well in the Palace House at Newmarket but stepping up to Group 3 class is never easy and I’d rather Robert Cowell had chosen the five-furlong handicap at Goodwood. I shall have another look at that race in time for the line at 11am.

Richard Fahey has clearly earmarked the seven-furling handicap, with fifty thousand in the pot, for either GALLIPOLI or RIGHT ACTION. He had both of them entered for a similar, though not as valuable, handicap at Doncaster but they both make the trip to the south coast. Right Action has gone up again for winning tidily at Catterick but I would not let form at that lesser venue put you off. Gallipoli missed the kick altogether when the blindfold was taken off late on AW Championships Day at Lingfield and did extremely well to make third, having reached second at one stage. Again, I’d have to back them both each-way and fully expect the pair to be in with a leading shout.