Aidan O’Brien’s representative has been a warm order for the June 2 Classic at Epsom all winter, but shortened to odds-on with many bookmakers after his smooth performance in the 2000 Guineas.

There were no surprise drop-outs, with Thursday’s Dante Stakes winner Bonfire still engaged along with Lingfield Derby Trial winner Main Sequence.

O’Brien has plenty of support for Camelot as he has kept in Astrology, Father Of Science, Imperial Monarch and Tower Rock.

Sir Henry Cecil still has three potential runners in Wrotham Heath, Frankel’s little brother Noble Mission and Thomas Chippendale, while Godolphin have decided to keep both Mariner’s Cross and Dante flop Mandaean in the reckoning.

There is one further option to supplement for the Derby at a cost of �75,000 on May 28.

Some 22 fillies remain in the Investec Oaks, including all of the leading market fancies.

These are headed by John Gosden’s impressive Musidora winner The Fugue and William Haggas’s Vow, who took the Lingfield Oaks Trial.

O’Brien’s team can be drawn from Betterbetterbetter, Devotion, Kissed, Maybe, Twirl and Was.

Connections of Ed Dunlop’s globetrotter are gunning for revenge after going down by a whisker to Dunaden in the Flemington showpiece last November.

All roads lead to Australia again for Red Cadeaux, who was handed a quote of 16-1 with Paddy Power after winning for the first time since the Group Three Curragh Cup last June.

The six-year-old showed the benefit of his second to Colour Vision on his reappearance at Kempton to capture this good prize. The 4-1 chance stuck on well for Tom McLaughlin, after leading over a furlong out, to hold off Glen’s Diamond by a length.

“He’s been a bit of a bridesmaid, but he was probably beaten by a very good horse at Kempton, who could be the number one stayer,” said Dunlop.

“He’s adaptable from a mile and a half to a mile and six and he’s won on good ground today so we know he acts on that. He was the first horse we took to Australia. He’s not going to carry as little weight as he did last year and we will try to go one better.

“Tom has ridden this horse in races before and at home. He has worked for me for a long time and is an integral part. Ryan (Moore) was going to come here, then he switched. Ronnie Arculli (owner) felt it was right to let Tom ride him.

“He was third in the Irish Leger on this horse and has done nothing wrong on him. He thought he went too soon.

“He’s in the Coronation Cup and the Hardwicke. He’ll have one more run then he’ll have a break and come back for an autumn and back-end campaign.”

Mick Channon’s grey, who did not race until January, was a decent eighth in the 1000 Guineas and took this Listed prize by a length from Electrelane.

Part-owner Ann Black said: “Hopefully she’ll go to Royal Ascot now if she’s OK. We don’t know if she’ll go for the Coronation Stakes or the Sandringham Handicap. I suppose it depends what mark the handicapper gives her.”

Ceiling Kitty (20-1) is bound for the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal meeting after springing a surprise in the Langleys Solicitors LLP EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes.

Tom Dascombe’s charge got home by two lengths from Mayfield Girl under Richard Kingscote, with odds-on favourite Baileys Jubilee fading badly into sixth after setting the pace.

Media Hype (6-1 joint-favourite) booked his place in one of the middle-distance handicaps at Royal Ascot when overcoming interference to take the sportingbet.com Stakes.

“We think he could be a Listed or even a Group Three horse. He had poor feet when Luca Cumani had him, but we’ve sorted that out and he’s got lots of ability,” said trainer Elaine Burke’s husband and assistant Karl. “I imagine he’ll go to Ascot now for either the Wolferton Stakes or the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap.”

James Sullivan’s Easy Terms (14-1) continued her remarkable rise in the care of Edwin Tuer by getting up on the line in a blanket finish to the Sportingbet Jorvik Handicap. The Northallerton trainer picked up the mare for just over �4,000 at the sales last year and she has since won six times in eight starts.

Tuer said: “That’s unbelievable. She keeps answering every question and she’s won in all extremes of ground, from good to firm to heavy. We haven’t looked any further than this race.”

Shane Kelly drove Morocco Moon (28-1) to a short head verdict over Annie Beach in a rousing finish to the Ralph Raper Memorial Handicap, while Frankie Dettori delighted his supporters when ending the three-day meeting with a neck win on the Marcus Tregoning-trained Estedaama (6-1) in the Sportingbet Handicap.

Having finished fourth on her course and distance debut a month ago, the Michael Bell-trained three-year-old was sent off at 33-1 in a field that included 1000 Guineas runner-up Starscope and last year’s Fillies’ Mile third Firdaws.

Momentary could be spotted travelling easily in the hands of Hayley Turner halfway up the home straight and she quickened smartly to take the lead. Shirocco Star emerged as a serious danger heading inside the final furlong, but Momentary kept pulling out more and was a short head to the good at the line.

Hot favourite Starscope was a further three and three-quarter lengths away in third, with Firdaws never threatening.

Bell said: “I was hoping she’d run well as she’d been working like our best filly at home, but I wasn’t sure how good that was, if that makes sense.

“It’s a nice surprise she’s won as it looked a good race on paper, but I was hoping she’d give a good account of herself. It’s nice to win any Listed race, but it’s particularly satisfying to win for Her Majesty.

“This filly isn’t entered in the Oaks and the plan is to go to the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. It will be nice for Her Majesty to go to Royal Ascot with a horse who hopefully has a good chance.”

Last year’s Oaks heroine Dancing Rain was beaten in this race last year and Paddy Power make Shirocco Star a 25-1 shot for the Epsom Classic.

Momentary’s success was the second leg of a remarkable 1393-1 double for Turner after she guided Harry Dunlop’s 40-1 shot Sir Patrick Moore to a debut victory in the Hildon Maiden Stakes.

The jockey said: “I think this was Harry’s first two-year-old runner (of the year), so obviously there was a bit of a question mark. He’d been going well at home, but it was a good Newbury maiden, as they always are. The horse knew his job really well and he won going away again at the end.”

The three-year-old had been narrowly beaten by the talented Valbchek on his Newmarket reappearance and travelled strongly in the hands of Derby-winning jockey Mickael Barzalona in the Listed event.

Both Lethal Force and Samminder threw down challenges passing the furlong marker, but Swiss Spirit found plenty to wrest the spoils by a neck and the same.

Trevor Harris, representing winning owners Lordship Stud, said: “The jockey said he idled a bit when he hit the front and thought he’d done enough, so he is probably value for a little further than the winning margin.

“The jockey also said that he might be a better horse over seven furlongs, which brings the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot into play as a possibility. He is still maturing and I think good ground is ideal for him.”

Resplendent Light (33-1) landed the Events Bar Management Handicap, giving apprentice Daniel Muscutt his first winner under Rules on just his second ride.

Winning trainer Bernard Llewellyn said: “He’s been a good horse in the past and he was fit and well today. I’m most pleased for Daniel as he’s come from the pony racing circuit in Wales and he’s a nice, polite lad. He had his first ride last night at Salisbury and now he’s ridden a winner today, so it’s marvellous.”

Pilgrims Rest struck at 22-1 for Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes in the bettor.com Handicap, while Bill Turner’s Lady Phill (6-1) followed up last week’s Lingfield victory in the Luck Greayer Bloodstock Shipping Fillies’ Conditions Stakes.

The closing Chris Beek Racing Apprentice Handicap went to in-form trainer Marcus Tregoning as 9-2 Lady Rosamunde and jockey Ned Curtis took the honours.

The four-year-old finished behind Frankel on three occasions last term, winning his other three starts for Italian trainer Marco Botti, and renews rivalry with his old foe at the Berkshire track.

The Exceed And Excel colt joined Aidan O’Brien over the winter and made an impressive start for new connections by landing the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh under the trainer’s son, who retains the ride at Newbury.

“It will be the first time I’ve ridden against Frankel and he is obviously a great horse, so I’m looking forward to it,” said the jockey.

“Excelebration won very well in the Curragh and you’d like to think he’ll improve for that as it was his first run of the year. He’s obviously stepping up from a Group Three to a Group One race against Frankel, so he’ll have to improve.

“We just go into the race knowing our horse is in good form and we’ll just do our best and see what happens. He’s versatile ground-wise and hopefully he’ll run a big race.”

Richard Hannon is keeping a careful eye on the weather as his prime contender, Strong Suit, needs quicker conditions to excel. The four-year-old was largely campaigned over seven furlongs in 2011 but proved his aptitude for a mile when third in the Prix Jean Prat.

“He loves top of the ground. We’ve declared him with that proviso. He’s fine,” said the trainer.

“At his best he’d want the ground to be good, fast ground. If there’s any soft in it he won’t run. We’re happy with him and to start him off at Newbury if the ground is OK. If he doesn’t run he’ll probably wait for the Queen Anne at Ascot.”

The son of Shirocco quickly developed into a Pattern-class middle-distance performer with Jens Hirschberger, rounding off his campaign with an excellent second to Campanologist in the Preis Von Europa.

He has been acquired by OTI Racing, an Australian syndicate which prioritises runners in the Melbourne Cup.

Cumani himself has fallen in love with ‘the race that stops a nation’ and won this Listed heat last year with Drunken Sailor, who later ran in the Cup.

“We’re happy with what he has shown us at home,” said Cumani, who regularly improves horses arriving from different backgrounds.

“We don’t know him that well as he only joined us in the winter, so at this stage I think it’s quite difficult to gauge quite how good he is. He seems to be training well and he has done everything we have asked him to do.”

Regarding the Melbourne Cup, Cumani added: “That’s a long way away, but I would imagine it would be on his agenda.”

The extended mile-and-five-furlong Listed race has attracted just five runners with two, Nehaam and Hawaafez, representing Hamdan Al Maktoum.

The latter, who is in the care of Marcus Tregoning, took a while to find her feet in handicaps last season but finished up in the best possible fashion when bolting up at Newmarket in late October.

Tregoning said: “She ended off on a good note and she’s in decent form. It’s a hike up in grade so we don’t know if she’s going to be good enough, but she certainly goes there fit and well.”

The superbly bred son of Dansili still holds an Investec Derby entry and rounded off his two-year-old season by winning a Leicester maiden from Went The Day Well, who was transferred to America and finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

“I went to see him do a breeze on the gallops and he looked in great shape,” said Barry Simpson, racing manager to the colt’s owner, Sir Robert Ogden.

“I think he’ll probably need the run, but saying that, we are expecting a pretty decent performance. The Derby isn’t really in our thoughts – I think he’d have to put in a pretty special performance to get us thinking that way – but you never know at this time of year. He’s only had the two runs, but he’s working well.”

Many of Thomas Chippendale‘s rivals have been in winning form already this season, such as the James Toller-trained Rewarded. His form figures are flattered by a walkover at Sandown, but he followed up in a handicap at the Newmarket Guineas meeting.

“He came out of the race very well and we’re keen to step him up in trip further than a mile as it has looked as if the further he goes, the better he goes,” said Toller.

“I have elected to run him at Newbury rather than Newmarket this weekend as I thought the ground would suit him better. Like all these handicaps it’s very competitive, but I’m happy with the horse and I hope he’ll run well.”

Richard Hannon is doubly represented by Poetic Lord, the mount of Richard Hughes, and the Pat Dobbs-ridden Humungosaur.

The trainer told his website: “Poetic Lord was beaten only five lengths by Main Sequence when fourth in a competitive handicap at Newmarket. That form looks pretty solid after Main Sequence‘s Lingfield Derby Trial victory, so our fellow must have a chance in what looks a tough race.

“Our other runner, Humungosaur, is still a maiden, but he is a pretty good one, having already finished third in a Listed race at Deauville last year, so he would not be out of it either.”

Its been a difficult year for Wolves winger Stephen Hunt after suffering relegation for the third time in his career, but things are looking up as he joins the Ireland squad in preparation for the Euro 2012 tournament.

Hunty told us how the competition for places in Traps team is healthy, and how they plan to go on and make history in Poland and Ukraine.

Preparing for the tournament…
“Its getting close, everyone feels it’s upon us now, the season is over with our clubs, so it’s just a matter of getting as fit as you can and getting focussed and being determined to do well.

I feel like a golfer going into a major tournament. Playing tournaments leading up to it where you’re trying to get your fitness, get your game into shape, you’re working on things to a certain degree, going to the gym and that, but now it’s getting closer and closer… it’ll slowly happen and hopefully you’ll peak at the right time”.

Making history…
“I have unbelievable memories of the 2002 World Cup.

I was in Ireland at the time. My career was in disarray then, really going down the drain at the time, to a degree lesser people would have crumbled but I was lucky to be strong and work through it and it worked out ok.

I remember the goal celebrations of Keano, and Duffer, then ten years later to be in the same team, and looking to get Duffer’s place to a certain degree. It’s credit to him he’s still around, he obviously looks after himself.

I watched it in the local pub in Carrick on Siur, with friends. I wasn’t drinking, but I might have been better off! I remember being an emotional wreck after one of the games, I wished that could have been me – now I’m thinking – you know what, I can be part of the history.

I wouldn’t class being part of history as not playing, being part of it would be to score a winning goal, to have a major impact on the tournament and be remembered for that – so that’s my aim for the next four weeks.

We have a tournament to play in, it’s not like ten years ago where no matter what, the Irish team would come back heroes. Society has changed, and we could easily come back villains. We need to go there and do well and make our own history because it’s not going to be easy”.

Battle to make the team…
“I’ve played half my games when I’ve been fit, I think I’ve played the same amount of games as Duffer in the last campaign, so obviously Duff and McGeady, were picked in the first game in Estonia, then I was picked.

I know the manager gives me my fair share of games, I play most of the games, so he believes in me.

Luckily enough my brain has not been media trained for the last 3-4 months, otherwise I would have crumbled. Luckily I’m a strong character.

Credit where credits due James McClean’s had a good season and it’s healthy competition for the squad. When Andy Reid came along four years ago, Stephen Ireland came along, and Seamus Coleman to a certain degree two years ago, all the press wanted them to play at the time. That’s just the way football is. You deal with it in your own way and it motivates me to do better and have the competition in the squad”.

Listen to the Padcast to find out more of Hunt’s insights in to the Ireland team including rooming with John O’Shea, and his thoughts on Stephen Kelly and Damien Duff…

“They think they’re young and trendy!”

• Listen to The Padcast here
• Ireland Euro 2012 Betting

Padcast: Listen Here!

Ahead of the Champions League Final, this weeks Padcast includes interviews with a couple of quick, skillful wingers who could certainly teach Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery a trick or two . Pat Nevin and Stephen Hunt join host Ciaran O’Raghallaigh to talk about Chelsea’s big game and Ireland’s hopes ahead of Euro 2012 

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin gives his thoughts ahead of the Champions League final in Munich. Pat discusses ways to cope with Bayern’s pace down the flanks and proposes that starting Torres might be the key to success.

Wolves and Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Hunt is on the show talking about Euro 2012. Hunty gives us an insight into what it’s like preparing for such a major tournament and how rooming with John O’Shea always keeps him entertained!

• Padcast host Ciaran O Raghaillaigh on Twitter
• Join the Twitter conversation on #padcast
• Champions League Betting
• Euro 2012 Betting

Direct suggestions for the show, potential guests and compliments/complaints in the comments section below or to thepadcast@paddypower.com or follow us on twitter @paddypowerblog. We’re also on Facebook. If you’re particularly impressed/angered by the show, feel free to express your satisfaction/abhorrence with your friends using the sharing buttons below. You’ll be so cool.

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The son of Manduro could hardly have promised more in his two starts as a juvenile, looking a class-act on his racecourse debut at Salisbury before finishing a luckless third in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. His seasonal return had been shifted to Britain’s most high-profile Epsom trial from last week’s Dee Stakes at Chester due to the rain-softened ground on the Roodee and it proved a wise decision.

The colt showed slight signs of waywardness before the off, but he was as good as gold once the gates opened and travelled supremely well in the hands of Jimmy Fortune. Bonfire quickened past the well supported Ballydoyle-based favourite Ernest Hemingway in taking style and it was recent Newbury winner Ektihaam who moved stylishly out of the pack to throw down a challenge.

The two of them fought out a crowd-pleasing finish heading inside the final furlong, but Bonfire was on top close home, officially scoring by three-quarters of a length.

Balding’s ace is now 5-1 from 10-1 for Epsom with Boylesports, with the unbeaten 2000 Guineas winner Camelot a shade of odds-on at 4-5. In a remarkable twist of fate, the two leading Derby contenders were raised in the same paddock at Highclere Stud. The trainer now hopes his charge recovers in time for Epsom with the premier Classic this year only a little over a fortnight away.

Balding said: “It was very good. I was getting a bit uncomfortable with all the hype because he’s not a brilliant work horse and he’s done it in flashes this spring, so it was a relief to get him out.

“He behaved like a professional most of the time and he did it very well in the race. Jimmy was very impressed. It was a truly run race and a proper trial. The second has had a run already this season and Jimmy felt we were getting a little leg weary inside the final furlong, not through lack of stamina but through lack of race fitness so that is all the more encouraging.

“We’ve only got just over a fortnight, but as long as he comes out of this well, we’ve got to give Epsom serious consideration. It’s key at Epsom to get a position and it looks like he’s got the ability to do that. But what do I know? I’ve never had a Derby runner! I just hope it doesn’t take too much out of him.”

Varian said of Ektihaam: “We’re competitors and you’re always a bit annoyed when you don’t win, but I’m thrilled with how he ran. He travelled into the race really well and I’m delighted that he’s shown he’s up to this level. He’s a horse with the physique to improve through the year. I’ll speak to the owner before we make any definite plans but it’s nice to be going home knowing we’ve got a really good one on our hands.

“He’s in the French Derby and the other race to consider would be the Group Three over 10 furlongs at Ascot. He’s not in at Epsom and I think 10 furlongs is as far as he wants at this stage. Just 25 yards from the line the winner was finishing better than we were.”

The 7-2 favourite was always travelling kindly in the hands of William Buick a couple of lengths behind the leader Mohedian Lady, who dictated affairs from the start until early in the straight.

The John Gosden-trained filly picked up well but was challenged strongly by Sajjhaa and she had to be driven out to supplement her recent Newmarket victory by a length and a half. I’m A Dreamer stayed on to finish third after having had difficulty getting a run at a crucial stage of the race.

Buick said: The horses have been running well all year. We’ve got a nice bunch of horses. I love this filly, she’s top-class. She tries her hardest and what she really needs now is a Group One. She really deserves it (and) that would be the obvious next step up.

“She jumps very well from the stalls and I could probably ride her from a bit further back, but they can’t get away from her from the front. She was just looking around in front a bit, so today she was probably in front soon enough.”

Gosden said: “She’s a really lovely filly. She won on this day last year, beating the Oaks winner (Dancing Rain) a head (in the Swettenham at Newbury). We obviously went on to finish third in the Oaks and I think she has improved quite a lot from three to four.

“It was a good performance today and the obvious targets for her now are the Nassau and the Prix de l’Opera. There’s nothing for her at Ascot unless we came back to a mile for the Windsor Forest and that probably wouldn’t be the most sensible thing to do.

“It’s all about the second half of the season for her now and we’ll try to find something along the way.”

Saeed bin Suroor said of the runner-up: “She will improve a lot for the run. I just hoped she could finish in the first three today and she has run a very good race. We’ll consider the options for her now and there’s a Group Three at Epsom or the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot. She’s a stronger filly this year and more relaxed.”

The two greys had the finish of this mile handicap to themselves and the result was in doubt right to the line with the William Haggas-trained Fury just obliging in the hands of Ryan Moore.

There was only a nose between them at the line, with the 2-1 favourite Mijhaar two and a half lengths away in third place.

Haggas said: “I’m really, really pleased. He went off the boil last year but he’s a much stronger horse now and he’s really fought when he needed to today.

“He’s been running consistently well in really big handicaps so to win here is richly deserved.

“The fact that this was a Listed race makes it even better and it’s good news for the family. I don’t want to run him in the Hunt Cup so I think we’ll go for a Group race somewhere.

“He could go for something at Chantilly the Sunday before Royal Ascot.”

In making it three from three with the minimum of fuss under Jamie Spencer, the 5-6 favourite now looks set for a step up in class.

“He’s quite nice isn’t he?” said Barron.

“They didn’t go terribly quick early on which meant he was actually taking ground off them while they were quickening and that’s pretty impressive.

“He was a fairly free horse when he came to us and Jamie has done a great job getting him to settle. I don’t know where we’ll go next, he’s just learning his job.”

Judge ‘n Jury led a one-two for Chepstow trainer Ron Harris in the Betfred Mobile Sports Stakes.

The 10-1 shot led two furlongs out but had to pull out all the stops to keep his fast-finishing stable companion Secret Witness a neck at bay. Racy and Magical Macey made the early running from opposite sides of the straight five furlongs, before 7lb claimer Darren Egan set sail for home on Judge ‘n Jury.

After being slowly away, Secret Witness weaved his way through the pack and just failed in his bid to supplement his win over an extra furlong on this track a day earlier. Magical Macey was a length and a quarter away in third, with Racy finishing fourth.

Harris said: “The horses are obviously in great order. The winner had a terrible season last season. He had a problem with his palate and only had 30% airway, but he still ran a couple of good races including in this race last year.

“We got him operated on and then he got infected so we just couldn’t get him right. We had to stop in the end but we’ve had no interruptions so far this season and his run at Goodwood has just put him right for today. The second horse is a star, how tough must he be to do that? He ran off a mark of 100 today, his highest ever, and in another couple of strides he’d have got there.”

Sir Henry Cecil’s brilliant colt has overcome a slight leg injury a few weeks ago to take his place in the Group One over the straight mile.

Frankel, owned by Khalid Abdullah, has shown his well-being recently and delighted connections in workouts at Newmarket. The four-year-old has already won five races at the highest level, and a total of nine in all. He will be joined to post by his close relative and regular work companion Bullet Train.

Richard Hannon, who has won the last two runnings of this race with Paco Boy and Canford Cliffs, has declared Strong Suit and Dubawi Gold. However, the Marlborough trainer warned Strong Suit will not run unless the ground is suitable.

“If there’s any soft in the ground he probably may not run,” said Hannon.

“Dubawi Gold definitely runs.”

Excelebration was put in his place by Frankel three times last season when trained by Marco Botti. Now with Aidan O’Brien, the Prix du Moulin winner tries again on the back of a pleasing victory on his first run for the Irish trainer in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh last month.

O’Brien also has a second string to his bow in Windsor Palace, who floored stablemate St Nicholas Abbey in the Mooresbridge Stakes at the Curragh earlier this month.

Ransom Note, trained by Charlie Hills, completes the seven-strong line-up.

So You Think and Red Jazz were the only withdrawals at the 48-hour final declaration stage.

Ed Dunlop’s globetrotting six-year-old ran tremendous races towards the end of last term in the Irish St Leger, Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong Vase. Another ambitious campaign is being mapped out for Red Cadeaux, who made an encouraging return to action when runner-up to Colour Vision in the Sagaro Stakes at Kempton two weeks ago.

Dunlop said: “Everything’s gone well since the Sagaro and he seems in good form. As expected, it’s a competitive race and we hope for the best. This race fits in well with his programme. The ground might dry out a bit but it will still be decent good ground so we won’t worry about that unless the jockeys say anything differently.

“We wanted to have a fairly early campaign – he might or might not go to Royal Ascot after this – then have a break and come back for an autumn campaign which will include going back to Australia for the Melbourne Cup.”

Red Cadeaux‘s rivals includes Times Up, who is trained by Dunlop’s father, John. Times Up was a comfortable winner over this course and distance last May and will be having his first run of the season.

“Times Up has done plenty of work and has pleased the trainer. Any significant rain would not be welcome,” said the Arundel trainer’s racing secretary, Marcus Osgood.

The Godolphin-owned Be Fabulous won the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp when trained by Andre Fabre. She now makes her British debut after joining Mahmood Al Zarooni‘s stables in Newmarket.

Al Zarooni said: “She’s a good filly, she won a Group One last year in France and I think the distance will suit her. She is in really good form at home and Frankie (Dettori) rides her and we hope she can run a really good race. She will improve for the run, but we want to find out if she is good enough to run in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.”

Glen’s Diamond makes a quick reappearance after failing to sparkle in the Huxley Stakes at Chester last week. Trainer Richard Fahey is hoping this longer distance will eke out some improvement, saying: “We were disappointed with him at Chester, he just flattened out. Maybe he wants further and a bit of better ground will suit him.”

William Haggas runs recent John Porter Stakes winner Harris Tweed and said: “He’s back up in trip. He won over a mile and six as a three-year-old and he seems very well. I hope they get a drop of rain as it would suit him. The ground’s fine, but any more rain would help him.”

Stablemate The Fugue finished two places behind John Gosden’s Guineas runner-up at Newmarket and subsequently waltzed away with the Musidora Stakes at York on Wednesday. Starscope steps up to 10 furlongs for this Listed heat, but Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, feels that should be well within her compass.

Richardson said: “Obviously the Guineas form was franked at York but the Guineas form is usually rock-solid anyway. It was a very pleasing run by our horse in the Guineas but our filly is a different type to The Fugue. We were very pleased with the Guineas, but we want to see if she’ll stay further and then we can establish a way forward for the rest of the season.

“Her jockey (Jimmy Fortune) got off her last time and said she’d have no trouble staying further – in the Nell Gwyn and the Guineas she’s been doing her best work at the finish. She’s a lightly-raced filly but we need to get her to concentrate in her races – she wears a hood – and we need the penny to drop. She’s in the Coronation so we’ll see if we’ll be going back to a mile or staying at this sort of trip (10 furlongs).”

Another youngster bringing Group One form to the table is the Roger Varian-trained Firdaws. Having stepped straight out of winning a maiden last September, she performed creditably in the Fillies’ Mile by finishing third behind Lyric Of Light. She still holds entries in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Investec Oaks.

The Newmarket trainer told www.varianstable.com: “Firdaws has taken a little while to come to hand this spring but she is where we want her now. Every time she has worked she has improved and she is ready for a run. She ought to stay 10 furlongs well and hopefully she will run a promising race which will point us in the right direction for the future.”

Michael Bell’s Momentary makes just her second start after having finished fourth in a 10-furlong Newbury maiden on her debut in April. Owned and bred by the Queen, she holds an entry in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.

Bell said: “We are slightly throwing her in at the deep end a bit. Her work at home has been very impressive, however, so we’ll see. The Newbury form hasn’t worked out, though, so that’s a bit of a worry. We feel she deserves to take her chance.”

Hughie Morrison runs Shirocco Star. Her owners, Helena Springfield Ltd, also have last year’s winner Izzi Top and will be hoping Shirocco Star has the same ability.

Morrison said: “Obviously we are aiming a bit high, but she’s a quality filly. It will be hard work against six classy fillies and she will improve for the run, I would have thought. She has a handicap mark of 76 but her owners are commercial breeders so there’s no point going for a 0-80 handicap with her. She’s a very nice filly and we hope she’s up to it.”

The son of Exceed And Excel only has one success to his credit in a Leicester maiden last May, but he has run several good races in defeat.

He was also tried highly as a juvenile, being placed in the Gimcrack Stakes and Flying Childers and he ended the campaign in the Group One Middle Park Stakes. His misfortune continued on his first start of 2012 when the bit slipped through his mouth at Kempton, but he still managed to take third place behind Gusto.

“I really hope he wins. The bit went through his mouth when he came round the bend and was unrideable so he did fantastically well even to finish third,” said Dunlop.

“I knew there were other unlucky stories in the race but I do hope this is his day to make him a stakes winner.”

The Clive Cox-trained Lethal Force had smart form as a two-year-old, finishing fourth in both the Coventry Stakes and Vintage Stakes.

Without success as a juvenile, he finally opened his account by the big margin of nine lengths on his seasonal reappearance at Bath.

“He won his maiden easily at Bath. He was pleasing as a two-year-old without getting his head in front,” said the Lambourn handler.

“He’s a very decent performer and I hope conditions at Newbury continue to dry out.”

The County Tipperary permit holder is eyeing the big six-furlong handicap at the Berkshire track on June 23 after he won a competitive 24-runner affair at Newmarket on 1000 Guineas day.

The Royal Ascot dash could be the last handicap Maarek contests while he is in his present form.

“He’s gone up again after Newmarket and is now on 108,” said Nagle.

“The Wokingham is the obvious target for him, but we are very ground dependent. He has to have ease in the ground.

“We are running out of options for him. The Wokingham is the only handicap we can run him in now unless we ask him to carry 10st 1lb or 10st 2lb.

“We’ll have to step him up in class after that.”