Aidan O'Brien, who has a plethora of top-class juveniles at his disposal this year, has had four winners of the Racing Post Trophy in the last eight years and can be on the mark again with Septimus in the last Group 1 event of the season at Doncaster today.
Septimus, who beat three subsequent winners on easy ground on his debut in September, turned in a much-improved effort when taking the Group Two Beresford Stakes at The Curragh last time.
Given he is by Sadler's Wells out of a Darshaan mare, there's every chance that he will prove well suited by the testing conditions and he looks the sort who is going to progress again.
Kieren Fallon takes the ride in preference to three others from the same stable and he's fancied to get the better of Mark Johnston's Winged Cupid, who is also unbeaten in two starts on fast ground but has something to prove with regards to this surface.
Johnston's Desert d'Argent, who hails from a very successful staying family, should relish the stamina test that will be the Jock Murray Memorial Handicap over seven furlongs.
Given his pedigree he did well to win over six furlongs at a course as sharp as Catterick. He is open to plenty of improvement and is fancied to successfully negotiate this big step up in grade.
The far side was very much the place to be on the straight course here yesterday and River Falcon looks very tempting from stall four in the Whiteobrown Handicap over five furlongs.
Jim Goldie's sprinter has held his form well this year and looks a fair bit better than the bare form of his last run at York, when he finished ahead of those that raced on the unfavoured far side.
Previously he ran with credit on the outside of the far-side group in the Ayr Gold Cup but he appeals strongly as the type to go well now everything looks in his favour. He is taken to beat Tom Tun.
At Newbury, Johnston's Steppin Up, an impressive maiden winner who shaped well when upped to Group company at Newmarket last time, is the fancy in the Group Three Stan James Horris Hill Stakes.
Day Flight, a very capable performer when there is cut in the ground, should give another good account after a break of nearly four months in the Stan James St Simon Stakes over a mile and a half.
The better-quality jumpers are starting to appear and Paul Nicholls, who has a stable chock full of talent, should do well at Aintree's two-day fixture.
The pick of his runners today looks to be Andreas, who has won three of his four starts over fences and he's the fancy in the Intercasino.com Molyneux Novices Chase over two miles.
At Chepstow Nicholls can be on the mark with Gungadu (1.25), Reflected Glory (2.25), East Lawyer (3.35) and with Micky Cole in the closing maiden hurdle over three miles at 4.45.
At Kelso Len Lung's Rasharrow (2.30), Rehearsal (3.40) and Contract Scotland (4.15) can go well for the Carrutherstown handler.
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