Expect Gosden’s Lion to roar in Craven Stakes ahead of Guineas

It will be a huge surprise if Roaring Lion cannot get his season off to a winning start in the Group Three bet365 Craven Stakes at Newmarket.

John Gosden’s colt is behind only two Aidan O’brientrained runners in the betting for next month’s 2,000 Guineas which is surely testament enough to the form he showed last term.

He bowed out the 2017 campaign with three wins in four runs, with his only defeat coming when narrowly edged out by Saxon Warrior in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Roaring Lion should possibly have won that day, too, as he hung a bit in the finish, conceding a vital few yards that really would have counted given the final verdict of a neck.

The form of his previous victory in the Royal Lodge at Newmarketwasboostedwhen the second, Nelson, won last week’s Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown and as he is upwards of 6lb clear of his rivals here, it really will be very disappointed if he is eclipsed.

The other Group Three feature on the final day of the Craven meeting is the Connaught Access Flooring Abernant Stakes and Spirit Of Valor is an interesting contender for O’brien here.

He ran in both the English and Irish Guineas last year, possibly as a measure to ensure a decent pace for stablemate Churchill, but really shone when dropped back to seven furlongs in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

While the reopposing Le Brivido was a neck too good that day, Spirit Of Valor had a little wander across the track in the closing stages which would hardly have helped.

He went on to claim a Curragh Group Two and was last sighted when claiming a fair fourth behind the top-class Aclaim in the Park Stakes at Doncaster last September.

Switching back to six furlongs is intriguing but, given he scored over the trip as a juvenile and showed plenty of pace last term, it might turn out to be the right choice.

Awake My Soul can prove the star turn in the main event on the first day of Ripon’s season.

The nine-year-old lines up in the Riponbet Silver Bowl Handicap having signed off last season with victory in a similar event at Redcar.

Sent off a well-supported 2-1 favourite on that occasion, Awake My Soul was really on top of affairs at the finish, coming home a length clear without being put under too much pressure.

A 4lb hike for that victory is not ideal, but he has proved capable of winning first time out in the past and it could be dangerous to dismiss his chances.

Tanseeq did not enjoy the best of luck last time out, so it could pay to keep the faith in the first division of the WYG Novice Stakes at Newcastle.

Winner of a Kempton novice back in November, William Haggas pitched his charge into handicap company next time but he was caught wide and just could not get back on terms.

He was only beaten three and a half lengths in fourth so could be worth another chance.