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Newbury on ITV this weekend and Burke could have a good Saturday
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Minnie Hauk a short price for the Epsom and Curragh double for the Oaks
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Alan Dudman looks at this weekend with his latest antepost column
Two days of rain forecast for Newbury - and that suits Bolster
Newbury's Saturday televised card comes with the warning for some of rain but others welcome and that will immediately put backers of Bolster on high alert.
He runs in the opening 13:50 Listed Steventon Stakes - and it will be interesting to see which opponent lines up or doesn't as there are four three-year-olds in the entries stage with the weight allowance, although only one three-year-old has won the race in the previous nine years.
Bolster has to be on the radar here and if the rain materialises, he'll be backed I am sure from his current price of 10/111.00 on the Sportsbook, and is certainly each-way material.
His two runs this year haven't quite hit the high notes as he was firmly put in his place by the ageing warhorse Hamish at Goodwood last time in the Listed Tapster Stakes. He had his ground as it was soft, but he didn't have his trip and the 1m4f on that occasion has likely put paid to any hopes of him racing again over that trip.
He is back down to a more favourable 1m2f and has performed well at Newbury in the past when finishing second in a handicap at the track last term in heavy.
Bolster is a likely front-runner who simply needs it soft.
Back Bolster in 13:50 at Newbury on Saturday
Lochalsh the answer in wide-open stayers' race?
Newbury's second offering is the 2m Handicap, at 14:25, but glancing at the entries, it looks more competent than exciting.
Wonder Legend will be a key horse as he's the top weight from 108 - 9lbs clear of the second and he'll be giving plenty to his rivals if taking up the engagement.
Most of these are on recovery missions of sorts. Ralph Beckett's Artistic Star is in freefall in the weights - and he's down to sub-100 for the first time in while.
Wild Waves was beaten seven lengths in last year's St Leger and has struggled in his four-year-old campaign thus far although he ran with credit last at Royal Ascot when third in the Wacky Races (Queen Alexandra 2m5f).
Kyle Of Lochalsh has only been seen once this year, and Feigning Madness hasn't fired albeit in Group races this term.
The list goes on. Kyle Of Lochlash makes some, as in playing terms, his opponents are in virtual wilderness, and Kyle Of Lochalsh at least has some previous here as he was third in this race last term.
However, I would want a little more than 4/15.00 on offer for him considering his only outing in 2025 was at Southwell in the spring.
Elite again for the Hackwood at 4/15.00
Elite Status is a handy horse around Newbury. He won the Hackwood Stakes 12 months ago - his second win over course and distance last season and while both wins are on good to firm, he has form in heavy in France and good to soft in the UK to assuage the fears of the rain forecast.
Last year's renewal had Lake Forest in second, but over the far side Elite Status had his measure and Newbury is the perfect track to utilise his big raking stride, something his trainer Kael Burke mentioned in the post-race interview.
After Newbury, he was well beaten in Group 1s at Haydock and Ascot, and this season thus far has been underwhelming as he was 10 lengths behind in the 6f sprint at Royal Ascot.
By nature, these sprinters blow hot and colt anyway and profiling his cannon of work, it's best to zone in on those two Newbury success from last term as both earned good speed figures and from the ATR sectional data, the A+ and the B upgrades were his best of 2024.
Regional is a slightly shorter price at 7/24.50 on the Sportsbook with Elite Status on 4/15.00 and my preference is for Burke's speedster, he has promised at times to break into the top level, but hasn't.
Back Elite Status in the 14:57 at Newbury on Saturday
Super Sprint minefield
Eighty-two runners at entries stage - all juveniles and official ratings ranging from 53 to 100. Welcome to the annual Super Sprint jamboree.
I think the owner rather than the bettor prefers this sort of race with 122k to the winner.
Eve Johnson-Houghton's Havana Hurricane comes with the profile and the wins, and also the hit on the price and anyone backing 6/42.50 in a race full of juveniles is a braver person than me.
Richard Hannon has won it four times and there's four from his camp holding an entry. Richard Fahey has done it for the north with three wins in recent times too, and his sole entry is the filly Cotai Belle with wins at Wetherby and Haydock going into Saturday.
This is certainly one to sit out and watch from the sidelines.
Irish Oaks - and Minnie is very short at 1/31.33
With no UK challenge forthcoming for Saturday for the Irish Oaks, all Aidan O'Brien has to do is basically turn up to the Curragh for the Group 1 Classic with the prizemoney and trophy presented to him on a silver platter.
Minnie Hauk is the 1/31.33 favourite for Ballydoyle, who has been peerless in the race with O'Brien its winning-most trainer with seven, but will Minnie Hauk have her own way again?
Well, she did at Epsom and beat Whirl but it was a fight and a half. Indeed, in Boxing parlance, you need two great fighters to make a race and she was epic in terms of her bravery to outpoint the front-running Whirl.
On first take, Whirl was coasting along when Minnie Hauk was pushed into Tattenham Corner, with the winner (and an obvious thing to say) looking the stronger stayer.
Whirl is 5/16.00, and on Epsom shouldn't be, so I wonder with those vibes if she even will turn up Sunday, but trying to second guess Aidan O'Brien is something not many people are very good at.
Bedtime Story was second in the recent Diane at Chantilly on good to soft ground - a commendable effort at the top level for her first try beyond a mile.
There's an obvious stamina query there, but she's shorter than Whirl who won the Pretty Polly on Irish Champions weekend just three weeks ago.
Fozzy Stack, Johnny Murtagh and Joseph O'Brien have entries, but AOB accounts for six of the nine thus far and we'll see who is declared come the time.