ARATUS can give trainer Clive Cox back-to-back victories in the tote Victoria Cup (4.05) at Ascot this afternoon.
Cox saddled River Nymph to glory in the seven-furlong cavalry charge 12 months ago, and has another rock-solid candidate for honours in Aratus.
The four-year-old son of Free Eagle, a Kempton Park maiden winner at two, was unbeaten in three outings in 2021, following a novice-stakes score at Doncaster in July with handicap wins at Newbury and Goodwood the following month.
We didn’t see Aratus during the rest of the campaign, and he made his return as a gelding in the Listed King Richard III Stakes at Leicester last month.
In a race run at a farcical gallop, Adam Kirby’s mount raced too freely for his own good before returning last of the three runners behind Happy Power.
But that was no reflection of my selection’s merit and, with an honest gallop over the seven-furlong trip he has made his own, Aratus can show his true colours.
CHOCOYA looks good for the in-form Hugo Palmer in the Group 3 SBK Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (3.50) at Lingfield Park today.
To register a first success at Pattern level, the daughter of Sepoy must turn round Newmarket running with She Do from the Listed Boadicea Stakes last October.
But there wasn’t much between the pair – a short head and two necks, to be exact – and Chocoya had looked on an upward curve with handicap scores at Salisbury and Chelmsford City on her previous two outings.
Going back up from six to seven furlongs shouldn’t be a problem, and Chocoya’s jockey Ryan Moore has ridden like a demon at Chester’s May fixture this week.
Moore has excellent prospects of an ITV4 double, set up by EMILY DICKINSON in the Listed SBK Oaks Trial Stakes (3.15).
It won’t make the lead item on the news that the Aidan O’Brien trainee is regally bred – she is a daughter of Dubawi and the talented but mulish Irish Derby heroine Chicquita.
Emily Dickinson, unplaced at Leopardstown on her first two attempts, got off the mark in cosy style at Naas last time and is worth the step up in class.
O’Brien has dominated the Epsom trials this week but Charlie Appleby’s WALK OF STARS is the horse to beat in the Listed SBK Derby Trial Stakes (2.40).
After a promising start at Newmarket in October, Dubawi’s ran away with a Nottingham maiden the following month.
Another step forward followed with a neck call at Newbury last month on his return, and William Buick’s mount has barely scratched beneath the surface.
He failed to justify market support – he went off the 11-4 favourite – when seventh at Yarmouth on his turf comeback, but AJRAD is still fancied to give a good account in the SBK Handicap (2.05).
At Ascot, THIRD REALM can serve it up to favourite Al Aasy in the Listed Carey Group Buckhounds Stakes (2.20).
On this weekend 12 months ago, the Roger Varian trainee was entering the Epsom picture with a Derby Trial triumph at Lingfield.
Third Realm didn’t add to that win in four subsequent starts, but was highly tried and takes a drop in class here.
The British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (3.30) is a good opportunity for DELTA BAY to make a winning start for Hughie Morrison.
The former John and Thady Gosden trainee has been off course since a defeat at Ascot in April of last year, but has still has the potential to go forward.
After training his first winners over jumps since taking over the licence from father Colin, Joe Tizzard can upstage his Flat counterparts by saddling MASCAT to victory in the Royal Ascot Local Schools Art Competition Handicap (1.45).
At Haydock Park, SEBASTOPOL looks well treated for a return to the smaller obstacles for the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle (3.00).
Saturday's tips
NOTTINGHAM
1.00 ELIXSOFT
1.35 GREENBARN
2.10 TEES SPIRIT
2.45 LAWMANS BLIS (NAP)
3.20 UNCLE DICK
3.55 AUSSIE BANKER
4.30 MIDNIGHT TRAIN
HAYDOCK PARK
1.20 CAESAR’S PALACE
1.50 BRAD THE BRIEF
2.25 PANIC ATTACK
3.00 SEBASTOPOL
3.35 ALDAARY
4.10 LETTERSTON LADY
4.45 RANDOM HARVEST
5.18 OUT FROM UNDER
LINGFIELD PARK
1.30 RATTLING
2.05 AJRAD
2.40 WALK OF STARS
3.15 EMILY DICKINSON
3.50 CHOCOYA
4.25 RAVENS ARK
5.00 SMOKEY MALONE
ASCOT
1.45 MASCAT
2.20 THIRD REALM
2.55 REDEMPTION TIME
3.30 DELTA BAY
4.05 ARATUS (NB)
4.40 AFTER THE RAIN
5.15 GILT EDGE
HEXHAM
1.55 MISS AMELIA
2.30 GENTLE CONNECTIONS
3.05 HUNGRY TIGER
3.40 BLAZING TOM
4.15 GREY MARKET
4.50 WAVELENGTH
5.20 OAKLEY DANCER
WARWICK
5.10 JEFFERY’S CROSS
5.45 THE PLIMSOLL LINE
6.15 KAZONTHERAZZ
6.50 FORTUNES MELODY
7.20 SUPER SIX
7.50 LORD SPARKY
8.20 CLAPTON HILL
THIRSK
5.30 LULLABY BOY
6.05 WATERMELON SUGAR
6.35 SHAMEKH
7.05 EMPRESS SHEBA
7.35 VAL DE TRAVERS
8.05 WHITE WILLOW
8.35 QUERCUS
