Kelvingrove may follow up…

It was good to see Henry Candy’s Queen Of Time going in at Goodwood last week, the bonus being the price because even money was available against poor opposition before she closed in to 4/5. Stable-companion Vibrant Chords also won at 5/1 and on the line I suggested splitting the stake with Dark Shot, who should win soon after his third and who benefited from his rider’s 7lb claim. Balding’s horses are in tremendous form, incidentally.

This Saturday looks much quieter in this corner but the French, as always, have targeted the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes and have three challengers. The best of them may well be Frankie Dettori’s mount QEMAH, who would surely not be making the trip unless fit enough first time up.

The fields at Lingfield are quite small but Ascot patrons are well catered for numerically, especially at 4.00 when a huge field lines up for the Victoria Cup. You could name six here and not get one placed but I shall have a little on Richard Fahey’s WITHERNSEA because the one thing I’m certain about is that seven furlongs suits him better than a mile. Mick Channon’s Bossy Guest is the type to run into a place at a very big price.

Malcolm Saunders is finding it hard to place PIXELEEN, who was highly tried at Bath first time up but would have swallowed up the leaders down the Epsom chute the other day but for leaving herself with too much to do down the hill. She is not truly Listed class but the Kilvington Stakes at Nottingham is a modest contest for the grade and she may be worth a very small each-way bet. I rather need her to shine because stable-companion Titus Secret ran a wretched race at Nottingham on Friday evening – my biggest bet for quite a while.

Quite solid claims are held by Jonjo O’Neill’s Kelvingrove in the long-distance handicap hurdle which opens proceedings at Haydock, though he has to contend with a 7lb penalty for scoring over course and distance last time. Jonjo’s horses are very well indeed and Aidan Coleman has a fine record for him.