Newmarket 14:00 Makfi Suffolk Stakes
Fury looked certain to pick off Captain Bertie in the Spring Cup at Newbury two weeks ago but drifted under pressure and was beaten a neck. He's 5lb higher here but acts on soft ground and can't be ignored. Conditions will also suit last week's Ripon winner Memory Cloth but last year's Cambridgeshire third Proponent usually needs a run to put him straight while Winter Derby third Circumvent often flatters to deceive, though acts with give in the ground. Spanish Duke won the City And Suburban at Epsom on his reappearance last season and, though disappointing subsequently, goes well fresh and should get the strong pace he needs here. John Dunlop's charge can get involved but TULLIUS went close on several occasions after winning on his reappearance at Sandown last year. Soft ground is not a problem and Andrew Balding's charge gets the vote. It will be interesting to see how the three-year-old Graphic fares against older horses and Danadana is also worth noting if the market speaks in his favour after a lengthy lay-off.
Goodwood 14:15 Betfred The Bonus King E.B.F. Daisy Warwick Stakes
VITA NOVA is hard to get away from here. Clear on official ratings having just failed to catch Blue Bunting in the Yorkshire Oaks back in August, Sir Henry Cecil's mare has made a winning seasonal debut the previous two years and all types of going seems to come alike to her. She's the one to beat here as Polygon and Western Pearl may have been placed in pattern company last term but both still have plenty of improving to do if they're to match the selection on today's terms. The remainder have even more to find with Tameen and Qushchi looking the best of those.
Newmarket 14:30 Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes
DUNADEN, winner of the Melbourne Cup in November, followed up in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December. He's also won four times on soft ground over this trip so conditions won't be a problem at HQ and Mikel Delzangles' globe-trotting six-year-old can make his first appearance in the UK a winning one. Last year's St Leger winner Masked Marvel's participation depends on the ground but Meandre should go well. Andre Fabre's grey won the Grand Prix de Paris last July, beating Irish Derby runner-up Seville, and was sixth in the Arc on his final start of 2011. Blue Bajan needs further but Al Kazeem, Fiorente and Sadeek's Song all had decent form as three-year-olds though Quest For Peace, who rattled up a hat-trick in Ireland and England before finishing fifth in the Canadian International at Woodbine, may be the pick of the home team on this occasion.
Newmarket 15:10 Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes
The Racing Post Trophy often produces a genuine Derby contender but no winner has gone on to glory in the Guineas since High Top 40 years ago and there are enough question marks surrounding Camelot, who had Fencing and Talwar well beaten at Doncaster, to oppose the unbeaten Ballydoyle colt at the likely odds. Connections have already expressed concerns over the forecast soft ground. Aidan O'Brien also saddles POWER, who won the National Stakes at the Curragh on soft going and was an unlucky second in proven Guineas trial the Dewhurst here subsequently. He had Bronterre, Trumpet Major and Red Duke behind that day and there appears no reason why any of that trio should reverse the form so the son of Oasis Dream, who has done absolutely nothing wrong so far, gets the nod in the season's first classic. Born To Sea is closely related to the brilliant Sea The Stars but was disappointingly beaten in the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in October while the trip is likely to prove beyond Greenham winner Caspar Netscher, though he holds Boomerang Bob, Bronterre and Redact on the form book. French Fifteen won four times as a juvenile, including a Group 1 at Saint-Cloud in October, and beat Abtaal by a neck on his reappearance at Maisons- Lafitte. He won't mind the ground so has to go on the short-list with Newbury maiden winner Top Offer the least exposed of the others.
Goodwood 15:30 Betfred Mobile Sports Handicap
Woolfall Treasure may still be a shade high in the weights as he looks to end a long losing run but he could still make the frame along with Spice Fair. The latter was highly progressive last year with three victories, including one in soft ground at Sandown, and will surely be winning again this season but LIFETIME may just have the edge on this occasion. He came good over a shorter trip at Newcastle three weeks ago and Darren Egan's claim negates a 7lb rise in the weights. No Heretic is lightly-raced but the Leicester maiden winner has yet to encounter soft going and while Taikoo is perfectly at home on the surface, he's yet to win off today's mark.
Newmarket 15:45 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes
A typically competitive renewal of this Group 3 sprint and, as three-year-olds have won it three times in the last 10 years, a market move for either Stepper Point or recent Bath second Caledonia Lady would have to be taken seriously. Temple Meads was highly regarded as a juvenile but hasn't been seen since finishing last in the 2010 Dewhurst while Nottingham winner Jonny Mudball, third in this race 12 months ago, was a long way behind Inxile at Longchamp subsequently. Move In Time grabbed a deserved win at Ascot in October, when Mayson was behind, and represents last year's successful trainer/jockey combination but looks held by MARGOT DID on the form book and Michael Bell's filly, who likes soft ground, may well be the answer to this tricky puzzle. She didn't get the luck of the draw in a couple of runs in Dubai but has an outstanding chance on last year's efforts which included a defeat of recent Musselburgh scorer Hamish McGonagall in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Irish raider Katla may be best of the rest ahead of Eton Rifles, who probably needs further.
