Forest Of Dean is the pick in the highlight of Good Friday’s action, the £200,000 BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Championship at Newcastle.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the Godolphin stalwart landed a qualifier over the course and 10-furlong distance in January before heading for the Winter Derby at Lingfield as one of three contenders for the Clarehaven team.
He proved no match for now three-times Dubai Turf scorer Lord North, but he surprisingly also had to give best to reopposing stablemate Harrovian, who set the early gallop and held on for fourth while Forest Of Dean was sixth.
The selection did not enjoy an ideal passage that day, however, and back on a track on which he has won two of his three starts, Forest Of Dean can bounce back to form.
Berkshire Rocco can strike for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy in the Betuk All-Weather Marathon Championships.
He snapped a losing streak that stretched back well over two years when upped to two miles to win a qualifier for this event at Southwell in January, while he lost little in defeat to Earl Of Tyrone at Kempton on his subsequent run.
Balding and Murphy should also be on the mark with Arabian Storm in the opening TalkSPORT Burradon Stakes.
He finished second in a Newmarket maiden towards the end of last term, with the third, fourth and fifth all subsequent scorers to give plenty of depth to the form.
Andrew Balding sent the beautifully-bred Arabian Storm to Gosforth Park to open his account last month, winning as a 1-4 favourite should in a seven-furlong contest.
Moving up a to mile in Listed company should not be an issue and this 2000 Guineas contender could book his Newmarket ticket here.
Positive can spring a minor surprise in the Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes.
He is on a hat-trick after wins at Kempton and Southwell and is nearly back to the kind of rating he achieved in 2020 when fourth at Group One level.
Vadream landed last week's Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster, an effort which sets her up perfectly for the BetUK-backed final of the Sprint division, while Shouldvebeenaring can make amends for an unlucky run last time in the talkSPORT All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Conditions Stakes back over his favoured six furlongs.
Lingfield hosts further all-weather fare, with Adeb going for gold in the BetUK All-Weather Vase Sprint Handicap.
He successfully stepped up to seven furlongs to win at Newcastle on his most recent start, but has proved equally as adept over six furlongs this year, winning at Newcastle back in January.
First Emperor can be relied upon to put up another good showing in the BetUK All-Weather Vase Marathon Handicap.
A dual winner earlier in the year, he has crept up to a mark of 84 with a series of four places since and is a thoroughly consistent performer at this kind of level.
Bath's decision to put up some excellent prize-money at the lower end of the ratings scale has been rewarded with a series of full fields and V Twelve can take home a slice of the riches on offer.
The four-year-old was a 10-furlong winner on soft ground at the backend of last season and will be fit for action in the £35,000 Truespeed Business Broadband Handicap after a couple of winter hurdles spins.
He unseated his rider in the Victor Ludorum at the first attempt but showed improvement to finish second last month, albeit well beaten when appearing to just not get home over two miles in deep ground.
SELECTIONS:
BATH: 1.40 Ma Famille, 2.15 Enraged, 2.50 Meisterzinger, 3.25 V Twelve, 4.00 Well Prepared, 4.35 Landlordtothestars, 5.10 Love Destiny.
LINGFIELD: 1.30 Vega Sicilia, 2.05 First Emperor, 2.40 Aussie Banker, 3.15 Adeb, 3.50 Million Thanks, 4.25 Spring Promise, 5.00 Mogok Valley.
NEWCASTLE: 1.15 Arabian Storm, 1.50 Shouldvebeenaring, 2.25 BERKSHIRE ROCCO (NAP), 3.00 Forest Of Dean, 3.35 Positive, 4.10 Manaafith, 4.45 Vadream.
DOUBLE: Berkshire Rocco and Shouldvebeenaring.
