GODOLPHIN have endured a lean few seasons by their own high standards, but the boys in blue seem to have undergone something of a renaissance this term.

With the likes of recent recruit Chabal and Kingsfort, as well as the stable’s own talents such as Al Zir, to look forward to, 2010 should be a stellar year.

Saeed bin Suroor has not been letting the grass grow under his feet though, reversing their fortunes by sending out in excess of 100 winners for the first time since 2004.

Godolphin tend to endure a fair number of disappointments, as can only be as expected with a stable of their size, and while Rio De La Plata must surely be counted as one of their under-achievers, he can set the record straight in the Thurlow Nunn Standen Darley Stakes at Newmarket.

A Group One winner at two and placed in the French 2000 Guineas at three, the Rahy colt found his Classic campaign cut short by injury.

He returned after 419 days off the track at Haydock last month but failed to sparkle on a testing surface and eventually trailed home a distant 10th behind Confront.

However, a quicker surface and a trip to the Rowley Mile saw Rio De La Plata bounce back to something like his best at the beginning of October.

He was staying on again over a mile that day so it is no surprise connections have opted to move up in trip.

Rio De La Plata was a nonstayer when seventh in the Derby last year but that can be forgotten and he is well worth a try over nine furlongs here.

Godolphin should complete a double as Emirates Dream can use the slight dip in class to his advantage in the Sariska Houghton Conditions Stakes.

Third in a French Group Three, this Kingmambo colt looks a classy individual.

Theology can confirm himself a decent prospect with victory in the Anglo Hibernian Bloodstock Insurance E B F Maiden Stakes.

The Jeremy Noseda-trained colt caught the eye when third here on debut earlier this month in what might turn out to have been a pretty decent maiden, doing all his best work at the finish.

Lady Hestia defied top weight to win at Bath and she can follow up in Redcar’s Sam Hall Memorial Handicap while Star Promise should have learnt plenty for a recent Musselburgh outing in the wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk Nursery at Prestbury Park.

Cheltenham begin the long countdown to the all-important Festival in March as they open their doors for the first time this term.

Elzahann could be one to turn up at the big meeting next spring judged on the rapid progress she made towards the end of the last campaign.

A winner three times over hurdles, it was her performance in a competitive event at Haydock back in May that really marked Ferdy Murphy’s charge as one to follow.

Her two-and-a-quarterlength defeat of the well-regarded Green Mile saw her rise a further 8lb in the weights but with a sound surface in prospect at Prestbury Park, Elzahann could be hard to top once more.

Snap Tie found it heavy going at the highest level over hurdles last term but he can make a good start over fences in the WBX.COM Novices’ Chase.