2:50 Howden Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 6f

It remains to be seen how the draw will affect race results on the straight track (at least at the time of writing, but also with some rain likely to change things from Friday), but all things being equal, I don’t want to side against the well-handicapped Probe in this contest.

A useful sort for Dermot Weld before losing his way last season, he bounced back to form on debut for Jennie Candlish when winning at Wolverhampton, and he again shaped very well when beaten a length by Orazio over course and distance at the Craven Meeting.

Probe was produced very late to win at Wolverhampton, and it was probably an error on the part of Lewis Edmunds to strike on into a headwind with two furlongs to run last time, and thereby allowing the winner to pounce late.

He will find more cover in this big field, and if Kieran O’Neill can wait until the last moment before asking for everything, Probe should be very hard to beat on his side of the track. Hopefully the high numbers will hold sway in any case, as all the early pace in the race is concentrated middle to high.

3:25 Howden Suffolk Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 1m 1f

Majestic is a horse I have a soft spot for despite backing him almost every time he was beaten last year and not in the Cambridgeshire. He’s a five-year-old but still progressive having made his racecourse debut in a bumper last March.

He was learning all the way through last season, and it all finally clicked over course and distance in October when he landed a famous win for the retiring Mick Channon.

Now in the care of Mick’s son Jack, Majestic started his second campaign with an excellent fourth in the Lincoln, and three of those behind him that day have won good handicaps subsequently, making the form look especially solid. Majestic will appreciate the extra furlong and the quicker ground, and he is a horse who is almost certain to progress again given the pattern of his form.

4:00 Howden Palace House Stakes (Group 3) 5f

The likeliest winner here is Twilight Calls, who was unlucky when drawn away from the main action in the race 12 months ago, and who has since shown smart form in defeat at Royal Ascot.

This will be his first start since chasing home Nature Strip in the King’s Stand 11 months ago, however, and he could well benefit from the run before stepping back up to the highest level.

Silky Wilkie won’t be on many shortlists having finished last in the Abernant here at the Craven Meeting, but his chances of making all over six furlongs into a headwind were slim in retrospect, and he will be much better suited by the drop to five furlongs and with the wind half-behind at worst. It’s still a step up for him from an impressive win in handicap company at Musselburgh on his penultimate start, but he is sure to be underestimated in the betting, and is worth a tickle at likely big prices given the big impression he made when storming clear in the Scottish Sprint Cup.

4:40 Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) 1m

Silver Knott may not prove to be the best of the colts lined up for the 2000 Guineas, but he has an edge on experience over most of his rivals, and produced a career best when beaten by the narrowest of margins in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

That followed a solid win over course and distance in the Autumn Stakes, and while he’s more professional than brilliant, he will be better suited by a well-run mile than most of his opponents, and looks a cracking each-way bet with William Buick preferring him to Gimcrack winner Noble Style.

Aidan O’Brien has the pick of the runners on ratings, but whether a mile is the right trip for either Auguste Rodin or Little Big Bear is a big doubt.

The former would welcome any overnight rain given he’s winner over the trip on heavy ground, but if the ground stays on the quick side, then he will be vulnerable to rivals with more pace.

Little Big Bear was brilliant at up to 6f last year, but the fact that he’s a much shorter price for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot than the St James’s Palace Stakes at the same meeting is telling.

1:50 Howden Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 1m 6f

Cemhaan was an impressive winner of this contest 12 months ago, and was better still when scoring over a mile and a half here in August. He’s had his breathing tinkered with since a rare poor run in the November Handicap, where the heavy ground was against him, and he returns with his trainer in flying form.

George Baker’s last 10 runners have recorded form figures of: 3131310121, which augurs well for a horse who won on last season’s reappearance and has landed two of his three starts over today’s trip.

He’s higher in the weights than he was last year, but that looks fully justified, and he ought to give backers an excellent run for their money again.

3:00 Howden Dahlia Stakes (Group 2) 1m 1f

Al Husn has something to find stepping up from handicap company, but the form of her win over a mile and a quarter here in October could not have worked out better, with the runner-up landing a listed race next time, and the third – to whom she was conceding a stone – taking a Grade 3 contest at Del Mar on her next start.

Several others from further back in the field have also done their bit to boost the form, and Roger Varian’s filly should not be underestimated given the precipitous nature of her improvement last term.

3:40 Qipco 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) 1m

It’s possible to go round in circles with the 1000 Guineas and there are no end of promising fillies in the field who are open to improvement, but it helps to run another replay of the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last September, just as a reminder that Tahiyra really did what she did on the day.

Absence allows doubt to flourish, and it’s easy to forget the impact of that devastating two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Meditate, but one viewing of the replay serves to allow all the positive impressions of that success to rush back, and the more I watch, the more she appears a cut above others of her generation.

She’s hard to oppose, even at quite skinny odds, and any rain overnight will only strengthen confidence.

Probe 2:50 Newmarket – 2pts win @ 11/1 (Bet365, 10/1 general

Majestic 3:25 Newmarket – 1pt e/w @ 8/1 (general – 5 places, 7/1 SkyBet 6 places)

Silky Wilkie 4:00 Newmarket – 1pt win @ 22/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)

Silver Knott 4:40 Newmarket – 1.5pts e/w @ @ 12/1 (Bet365 5 places, 11/1 general)

Cemhaan 1:50 Newmarket – 1pt e/w @ 8/1 (SkyBet 6 places, 8/1 general 5 places)

Tahiyra 3:40 Newmarket – 2pts win @ 5/2 (general)