TALK about feast or famine.
After months with barely a crumb to nibble, punters have got a proper Big Mac of a weekend with extra relish on top.
There are enough stars on show to keep an eagle-eyed astronomer happy and it’s no prizes for guessing Charlie Appleby’s Pinatubo is our leading man.
Mind you, he won’t have it all his own way in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas if in-form Andrew Balding and reigning champ Oisin Murphy have got their sums right.
Our dynamic duo are hotter than a George Foreman grill and reckon they can derail the odds-on jolly with Kameko.
Mighty Murph says his mount has “a massive chance” and that opinion has been backed up by hard cash according to Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield, who explained: “Unsurprisingly for an odds-on poke in the 2,000 Guineas and the sport’s potential next superstar, Pinatubo is our best-backed horse in the first UK Classic.
“However, Kameko has been very popular since declarations and last year’s Vertem Futurity Trophy winner is in to 11-2 from 7-1.”
Talking of punts, the backers got it spot-on when Tim Easterby’s Art Power (2-1 to 5-4) lagged-up in a 6f novice event at Newcastle.
All-action Silvestre De Sousa was chuffed with the giant grey and he might just be off to Royal Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup.
Mind you, if money is any guide sensible Roger Varian’s unbeaten Pierre Lapin has already pinched that Group 1 prize.
This fella has been hammered from 14’s to 11-2 in ante-post lists for the big sprint and is a proper bruiser according to the Newmarket gallop watchers.
On the subject of Royal Ascot, it’s dollars to doughnuts Mark Johnston will nick a couple of two-year-old races there.
The Middleham mirth-maker has hit the ground running with his youngsters and landed a tickle when Army Of India (7s to 7-2) waved adios to a decent field at Kempton on Tuesday.
That was the starter and our main course arrived when stablemate Eye Of Heaven smashed Newmarket’s 5f two-year-old track record.
Johnston’s king-sized flyer looked like Tyson Fury sparring with a lollipop man at Headquarters and is off to the Royal Meeting according to his trainer, who said: “He’ll go to the Norfolk Stakes.
“We have a pecking order this year and their Royal Ascot starts mapped out as well. He’s a big horse who stands out from the crowd at home.”
Make no mistake, this young gun is a bit special and the 6-1 currently on offer for the Norfolk looks a cracking bet.
By the way, top commentator Simon Holt had a birds-eye view of the two-year-old action at Newmarket and was bowled over by William Haggas’ first race winner Sacred.
The flying filly has been lobbed in at 6s for the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and it’s odds-on she’ll carry a dollop of Holty’s hard earned.
Keep it quiet, but my mole down Lambourn way just can’t stop chatting about Ed Walker’s Glorious Caesar.
The word is that faces close to the horse reckon he’s seriously well handicapped and can leave his all-weather form behind back on turf.
He returns to the fray at Haydock Park (6.10) on Sunday and the super-shrewd Walker team are expecting a bold show.
Finally, if you want a young trainer to follow then keep your peepers on Newmarket-based rookie George Boughey.
Baby-faced Boughey landed a couple of tasty touches on the all-weather last winter and went close with well-bet Involved (10s to 11-2) on Thursday.
The horse would have delivered if he hadn’t pulled harder than teenager in Magaluf and should soothe any burnt fingers by winning next time.
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