Thursday gives us plenty to work with. Six meetings, twenty picks, and a card that splits neatly in two. Carlisle, Doncaster and Newmarket carry the afternoon, then Epsom, Newbury and Leopardstown take over into the evening. The common thread running through the strongest of them is speed. The sprinters are where our confidence sits today.
Doncaster is the afternoon anchor. Norcross Brow in the 4:30 is the shortest price we have all day and for good reason. Quick ground and this trip are both proven on his record, none of his rivals can match his recent speed, and he won last time out before returning within nine days fully fit. That is about as clean a profile as you get. Later on the same card, Dicko The Legend in the 5:40 appeals at a bigger price. His winless run reads worse than it is, several horses that beat him have gone on to win again, and he has crept down the weights with trip and ground experience already banked.
Up at Carlisle, Mr Cool in the 3:45 stands head and shoulders above his rivals among the sprinters. He posted his best speed figure only recently, has placed twice in his last six, and comes back within a fortnight over the same trip from a plum draw in stall four.
The evening belongs to Epsom, where Rage Of Thunder in the 7:50 is the pick of the whole day for us. He sets the sprint standard and the clock backs it up, his recent times are quicker than anything these can run. He won just sixteen days ago, has form over six furlongs on fast ground, and stall three is exactly where you want to be at Epsom. Elsewhere in the evening, Watch Tower at Leopardstown and Black Endeavour and Astracornus at Newbury all carry our bigger stakes.
Yesterday brought a winner. Allegrino obliged at 13/2, the headline act from five picks, and Zafaan and Goodie Two Shoes both made the frame behind him. A tidy Wednesday all round.
Twenty runners is a full book, but the shape of the day is simple enough. Follow the fast horses on fast ground, and if the clock is telling the truth at Epsom tonight, Rage Of Thunder does the rest.