Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
Three points of interest
Throwing your (Cocked) Hat into the Derby ring
It’s that time of year when there’s a lot of Derby chat around any good three-year-old colt performance and there could be plenty more of that on Saturday with what looks a strong renewal of the British Stallion Studs EBF Cocked Hat Stakes (2.05) at Goodwood providing ample to the Irish 2000 Guineas (3.40) at the Curragh later in the afternoon.
Troy won the Cocked Hat (when it was known as the Predominate Stakes) before taking the 1979 Derby and remains the only horse to have done the double, with the last two winners instead swerving Epsom in favour of a trip to Royal Ascot later in June. Last year’s winner Meydaan was a creditable fourth in the Queen’s Vase, 2023 winner Gregory won the same race, while Lionel (2022) and Lone Eagle (2021) ran in the Irish Derby on their next start.
The most recent Cocked Hat winner to run in the Derby was 2017 winner Khalidi who was eighth, a year after Algometer (seventh) had failed to improve on 2015 winner Storm The Stars’ subsequent third at Epsom. Masked Marvel (2011) was eighth in the Derby, with the best performance of Cocked Hat winners at Epsom that of Rewilding (Timeform rating of 119+) who was third to Workforce in the 2010 renewal.
Only one of the eight declared runners – Opportunity - has an entry for Epsom but don’t let that mislead you as there is still time for supplementing horses into the ‘Blue Riband’ event, while Sir Dinadan has an Irish Derby entry.
Haydock winner Opportunity is one of three currently battling for favouritism along with the unbeaten Amiloc, who was strong at the line when storming clear at the course last time, and Tycoon, who also returned with an authoritative performance on his seasonal debut.
Timeform weight-adjusted ratings suggest that Amiloc – 3 lb clear of Futurity Trophy fourth Seaplane with a ‘small p’ attached to his rating – is the one to beat, however we often see dramatic improvement from these flourishing three-year-olds and it’s worth noting that Tycoon has a ‘large P’ - a sparingly used symbol that denotes the horse is capable of much better - attached to his numerical figure.
Height of Fashion at Goodwood
Later on the Downs, the Height of Fashion Stakes (3.15) - which is run over a furlong shorter than the colts’ equivalent - provides the fillies with a chance to shine ahead of Epsom and it has more recent success in its ledger as an Oaks trial, thanks primarily to the efforts of Snow Fairy who won this race by three lengths in 2010 before a contrasting, battling, neck success over Meeznah at Epsom the following month.
This year’s renewal has a very open look to it. Janey Mackers and Trad Jazz are the only Oaks entries (at this stage) with both looking to bounce back from below-par efforts behind Falakeyah in the Pretty Polly, while Rhapsody, Music Piece and Perfect Your Craft all have Irish Oaks entries and 'small p’s’ attached to their ratings.
With her dam Soul Searcher a winner over 12.5f, Rhapsody is expected to improve for this longer trip, but she ran too freely when only sixth on her reappearance at Kempton and I think Music Piece looks a much better bet at the prices.
Andrew Balding has started the season very well, his number of winners in the first four months since the turn of the year six more than those attained in 2024 and 2023, 11 more than 2022 and 12 more than 2021, and this filly caught the eye in defeat at Sandown on her reappearance as she was the only one to make up significant ground from off the pace in a slowly-run novice.
There is a question mark over whether she would prefer a softer surface (as her dam Melodius seemed to) but there is some rain forecast to fall pre-race and if it does then Music Piece could prove hard to beat.
Hilary Needler to provide genuine Royal Ascot contender?
Fillies of a different ilk are in the spotlight in Beverley’s Hilary Needler Trophy (at 2.10) with two-year-old speedsters on show.
The winner often heads to Royal Ascot, however it’s usually only with an outside chance, with the fourth-placed-finish in the Queen Mary Stakes of 2019 winner Liberty Beach and the runner-up effort of 2015 winner Easton Angel in the same race something of an outlier in the grand scheme of things.
Perhaps that will change this season, though, with the ambitious Nick Bradley Racing outfit saddling three exciting fillies led by the unbeaten Ali Shuffle. Her sire A’Ali won the Norfolk Stakes at the Royal meeting on his second start and she has clearly inherited plenty of his pace, showing bright early speed on all three outings including when dominating from her low draw at Chester last time out (with Arduis Invicta back in fifth).
Her form – including a defeat of Argentine Tango who has won since and reopposes here – looks very solid, but she is ably ed by Saucy Jane, an impressive winner over C&D on her second start, and Artista, who had clearly learned plenty from her running-on debut third when making all back over C&D three weeks later. The last-named is one of three winning two-year-olds at the course for Ollie Sangster from just five runners.
With Meelaf, who did well to recover from a slow start when winning at Musselburgh, and impressive Chepstow winner Angel Numbers making up the field, this looks a strong renewal and it would be no surprise to see the winner taking a much more prominent role at Royal Ascot than has traditionally been the case.
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