Review of the last few days

Apologies for belatedly updating the Diary due to the fact I have been working at York (Thursday) and Aintree (Friday evening). Following a barren spell of nearly three weeks, Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have bounced back in recent days with four winners from their last seven runners. They included another blistering display by Notable Speech who won the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday. The son of Dubawi was registering his fifth win at the highest level showing his trademark turn of foot inside the final furlong. William Buick was forced to switch the 2024 2000 Guineas winner to the nearside before unleashing his partner and winning by two lengths. The Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot will be next where he is likely to renew rivalry with the runner-up More Thunder. Hugely progressive last term, William Haggas' charge was tackling a mile for the first time - won over ten furlongs for Sir Michael Stoute - and he came from the rear to grab the runners-berth. While he never looked like troubling the winner, it was a most encouraging return to action.

Top 40 entry Zeus Olympios improved for his seasonal pipeopener at Sandown last month finishing third. It was arguably a career best effort at his first attempt at Group 1 level but there were no excuses. Clifford Lee positioned his mount in the ideal spot behind the Ballydoyle runners and had every chance hitting the front over a furlong out. Unable to match the finishing kick of the first two, he kept on suggesting he may be worth a try over further. The stiffer mile at Ascot will suit but it remains to be seen whether he can turn the tables on either Notable Speech or More Thunder. 

In terms of the Top 40 in Ahead on The Flat, Allaire was disappointing in the ten furlongs Listed event at Newbury with Andrew Balding's filly dropping away tamely once headed - perhaps she went too quickly early on because she must be better than that. Synchroncity raced much too keenly in the Listed Michael Seely Memorial Stakes at York on Friday, while the two John & Thady Gosden's runners in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York on Thursday were outclassed, although Wise Prince once again failed to settle. On a more positive note, their stablemate Warrant Holder (11/4) defied an official mark of 100 when winning the ten furlongs handicap on the Knavesmire on Friday. The lightly raced four year old stayed on strongly under William Buick to win by a length and set up a tilt at the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot next month. He will appreciate the return to twelve furlongs and should have more to offer. 

Elsewhere, William Haggas spoke very fondly about the impeccably bred Lilt on page 100 of Ahead on The Flat. The head of Somerville Lodge commented: "She is a beautiful filly who I have always liked. Out of a Breeders' Cup winner, she has got the pedigree to be very good and, physically, she has a lot of quality." I was therefore kicking myself for not including her in the Top 40 following her smart performance on reappaearance in the aforementioned Listed Michael Seely Memorial Stakes on Friday. Tom Marquand's mount responded generously to pressure to lead inside the final furlong before stretching away to win by a length and a half. The daughter of Lope De Vega has numerous options and is a most exciting filly.

Despite the news that the talented My Cloud has been retired, Roger Varian has at least two very good older horses residing at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket. Saddadd was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April and stable companion Rahiebb looked a high-class stayer in the making when capturing the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup on Friday. Runner-up in last year's St Leger, the son of Frankel came from off the pace to win going away by two and a quarter lengths. The Ascot Gold Cup is reportedly the four year old's next target and should make his presence felt at least at the Royal meeting and in all the leading staying events this summer and beyond.

There have been plenty of clues for Royal Ascot during the last few days with Newbury, Newmarket and York staging some excellent racing. Please head to the Publications section of the site to order the AOTF Royal Ascot Update and the two other Updates. 

Despite getting drenched by a heavy downpour during our opening piece on Racing TV at York on Friday and then taking three and a half hours to travel from Liverpool to North Yorkshire on Friday evening - thanks to overnight road closures on the M62 which resulted in a prolonged tour of Leeds - it has been an enjoyable couple of days on track. It is always a pleasure to work on the Knavesmire and Aintree. I will be back to update the Diary early next week.