Best bets for today’s TV action from our experts
ROYAL SCOTSMAN
(4.40) can see off the Ballydoyle big guns and keep today’s QIPCO 2,000 Guineas on home soil.
Hot favourite Auguste Rodin may well hack up if he’s as good as touted, but the Derby is his big target and he’s potentially vulnerable to a top-notch miler
– and Royal Scotsman could be just that.
Other than one off-day in the Gimcrack, the son of dual Guineas hero Gleneagles took a big step forward on every run last year, rounding off with a superb second in the Dewhurst.
A power-packed finish over the 7f of that Group
One got him to within a head of Chaldean. Over the extra furlong, Royal Scotsman is taken to turn that round and put veteran trainer Paul Cole (below)
back in the big time.
Of the others, Noble Style is not certain to stay but 18-1 is an insult to a horse of his talent. Earlier on the HQ card, MAJESTIC
(3.25, nap) is fancied to give another boost to the Lincoln form in the Howden Suffolk Stakes. The Flat curtain-raiser has already produced winners in Al Mubhir, Bopedro and Jimi Hendrix (a rival again) – and Majestic did better than any of them at Doncaster when an excellent fourth.
He returns to the C&D of his finest hour – winning the Cambridgeshire last season – and is right at home in these bigger-field handicaps. There should be more to come.
Over at Goodwood, HONITON (3.05, nb) catches the eye in the William Hill Handicap.
Godolphin’s runner got close to classy Group horses Eldar Eldarov and My Prospero in novice company last year before a ridiculously easy maiden win. He was then sent off 7-2 for a hot handicap at Royal Ascot but flopped.
That came too soon after his maiden win and he can show he’s better than a 93-rated performer.