Weekend Preview: Frankel the star on Lockinge day

Frankel is rated 143 by Timeform and only needs to find 2 lb improvement to mark himself as the joint-best thoroughbred racehorse of all time. A Runaway winner of the 2000 Guineas last May, Frankel's three-year-old season went from strength to strength, landing a further three Group 1s by the end of the year. His main rival in the Lockinge Stakes is likely to be Excelebration, who will never get a better thance to beat Frankel having had the benefit of a preparation run. However, if Frankel turns up in top-form the others will be playing for second place, for all the likes of Strong Suit and Dubawi Gold are very good performers in their own right.

The Aston Park Stakes is the other feature on the Newbury card, a field of six headed by Nehaam, winner of last year's Eagle Rock Stakes at Ascot. The progressive Hawaafez and Luca Cumani's Ibicenco are also in the field to ensure that Nehaam is not allowed things his own way in what should be an informative listed contest.

The London Gold Cup, a ten-furlong handicap for three-year-old's is also run at Newbury on Saturday with some very progressive contenders set to line up in a race that often produces future pattern performers. Chief amongst them are Expense Claim, who currently heads the Timeform ratings, Clayton, who is one of the most unexposed runners in the field, and Thomas Chippendale, who features in Timeform's Horses To Follow.

There is also Flat racing at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon with two listed contests the most appealing races on an eight-race card.

The Fairway Stakes, due off at 14:15, looks the most fascinating with Noble Mission and Thought Worthy going head-to-head. Noble Mission carries a 5 lb penalty for his latest victory, which could hand the initiative to his rival, but both remain open to progression and it would be a disappointment if neither were to win. Frankel's full-brother Noble Mission remains with an entry for the Derby at Epsom on June 2.

The King Charles Stakes is the other listed race at HQ with the likes of Saigon and Balty Boys currently engaged. The Nile, trained by John Gosden could prove the best, however, with an impressive victory at Lingfield last time suggesting more to come from the well-bred three-year-old. He boasts a Timeform large "P", meaning further improvement is very much anticipated.

The Sprint Trophy is the best handicap on offer at Newmarket and Mince is likely to prove difficult to beat after a narrow-margin second over course and distance last time. Mince remains unexposed and she could develop into a useful performer as the season progresses with her main rivals for Saturday's contest looking to be Pea Shooter and Fairway To Heaven at this stage.

An afternoon meeting at Thirsk and an evening meeting at Doncaster round off Saturday's Flat action, whilst there are also National Hunt meetings at Bangor and Uttoxeter.

Ripon is the venue for racing on the level on Sunday afternoon with a seven-race card on offer from the Yorkshire venue.

There is also National Hunt racing from Stratford and Market Rasen, with the former arguably hosting the stronger of the two cards, a class 3 handicap chase over two and a half miles the best either has to offer.

There is also racing in Ireland this weekend with Limerick playing host to a jumps card on Sunday. All eyes will be on Navan, however, with Fame And Glory making his seasonal reappearance in the Vintage Crop Stakes. Fame And Glory was one of last year's leading stayers, landing both the Ascot Gold Cup and the Long Distance Cup, and he will have those races on the agenda once again this season. Bob le Beau and Unaccompanied look to be his main rivals for the listed event but it would be a surprise if he were to be defeated.

There is also top International Racing this weekend with the Singapore International meeting from Kranji. The Krisflyer International Sprint and the Singapore International Cup are the two feature races on an extraordinary weekend and you can find previews of both by clicking HERE. The former contest looks the most interesting of the two, with the international star Krypton Factor lining up for the six-furlong event.

The Preakness Stakes (click HERE for Simon Rowlands' preview) is the highlight this weekend in North America, as Bodemeister and I'll Have Another renew their rivalry having finished first and second in the Kentucky Derby earlier this month.