Through The Card: Epsom, Wednesday 24 April

14:10 - DARK SHOT (8) ran a big race on his reappearance last season, when beaten just a neck in a valuable heat at York, and a repeat of that sort of form could be good enough to see him come out on top in a tricky opener. Merry Banter and Boom The Groom are a couple of others to consider.

14:45 - ARTHUR KITT (1) showed himself to be a useful performer at two, providing the Richard Kingscote/Tom Dascombe combination with a memorable win in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, and ending the year with an even better effort when fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. That form gives him the edge on weight-adjusted ratings here, and he looks a good bet to continue the fine form of the Dascombe yard (three winners and three seconds from last 16 runners), with the prospect of more to come this season, especially now stepping up to middle-distances. Cape of Good Hope is from a family that gets better with age and could be the one to give the selection most to do.

15:20 - Having shaped well on his return at Kempton, SOTO SIZZLER (10) could be the answer to this third leg of the Placepot. He still has relatively low mileage and going back up in trip in what should be a truly-run race will be in his favour. Not So Sleepy has performed well on both previous visits here and is feared with Ryan Moore aboard, while Eddystone Rock and Emenem are both in with an each-way shout, too.

15:55 - There could be more to come from DESERT WIND (9), who shaped with a great deal of encouragement on his return at Kempton and is unexposed on turf. Ed Vaughan's charge gets the nod ahead of Mountain Angel, who made a winning reappearance last season and will be a threat if again ready to roll first time out, with the Mark Johnston-trained pair of Aquarium and Mildenberger, who was last seen chasing home Roaring Lion in the Dante at York last May, making up the shortlist.

16:25 - CASANOVA (1) made plenty of appeal on pedigree (by Frankel and out of a mare who finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas), and shaped very well when fourth on his debut at Wolverhampton in November, simply needing the experience too much to play a more prominent role, running green and still having plenty to do as the field entered the straight. Nevertheless, the ground he made up once the penny dropped was eye-catching to say the least, and sure to progress with that experience under his belt, he is expected to take all the beating here, in no better hands to fulfil his obvious potential.

17:00 - Simon Dow clearly knows what it takes to win this contest, having won the last two renewals, and it could be worth taking a chance on his RECUERDAME (12) this time round, with his recent return from seven months off at Kempton likely to have blown away the cobwebs. Gelded during the winter, a 2 lb higher mark than when getting off the mark at Chelmsford last August appeals as being fair still, and the booking here of Silvestre de Sousa - who has a 28% strike rate at Epsom - suggests that a big run is expected of him in this concluding leg of the Placepot.