- More
Our ace tipster says you shouldn't stray too far from the obvious
It probably doesn't pay to be too clever when it comes to the Tote Ten To Follow, so let's start with some obvious contenders.
Palace Pier didn't exactly beat much on his return at Sandown, but he's a step ahead of all the older milers on all known form and the Lockinge and Queen Anne could be in the bag by the end of June.
You can enter the Tote Ten To Follow here
There weren't too many bankers among the two-year-olds from last season but the way Aidan O'Brien talks about Santa Barbara you get the impression she is special and she doesn't really have much to beat in the Guineas.
If she's as good as he thinks, you're going to be missing out on a lot of points by leaving her out.
Sticking with fillies, Richard Hannon may have decided not to run Snow Lantern in the 1,000 Guineas, but she looked all class when comfortably seeing off a couple of well-backed colts at Newbury and she should bag a decent prize or two.
As far as the colts are concerned, Mutasaabeqis worth including to prove he's as good as he looked on his return, while Thunder Moon could prove best of the more established performers from last season.
There's every chance Aidan O'Brien will win the Cazoo Derby with a horse who hasn't even run yet, but his High Definition was clearly learning on the job last season and looks every inch a three-year-old.
Of the older horses, didn't exactly cover himself in glory in Dubai, but he's better than that and is likely to get better and better throughout the season.
Mishriff, who had him well behind when winning the Dubai Sheema Classic, obviously has to go in as well for John and Thady Gosden, but this year might be the year when time catches up on their star stayer Stradivarius.
The attempt to turn him into a 1m4f horse backfired last season, but he might be vulnerable this year and I was really taken by Sir Ron Priestley's winning return at Nottingham after such a long layoff.
The sprint division hardly looks strong and Clive Cox's Supremacy, who was so tough in his juvenile campaign, looks the obvious candidate for the Commonwealth Cup before taking on his elders.
Paul Kealy's Ten To Follow
High Definition
Mishriff
Mogul
Mutasaabeq
Palace Pier
Santa Barbara
Sir Ron Priestley
Snow Lantern
Supremacy
Thunder Moon
Read more:
Entry window opens on Tote Ten To Follow for the Flat season
Key players to put your team ahead of the pursuing pack on the Flat this summer
Our top tipster believes finding both Guineas winners could prove key
Our expert tipster is on the hunt for regular Group 1 performers
Oli Bell is keen on some leading Guineas contenders for his team
Mild Illusion does the trick again for Ten To Follow's keenest fan Fellows-Smith
Members can click here to download the digital newspaper every evening from 9pm. Not a member? Click here to sign up and enjoy the digital newspaper every day.
Published on inFeatures
Last updated
- Top racing books of 2024: must-reads of the year, from the perfect Christmas stocking filler to a pioneering jockey
- Captain Marvel: how a modern master of Cheltenham and a genuine pioneer executed one of the shocks of the year
- 'We’re delighted with how it's going' - joint-trainers prepare for exciting year after Flat string is doubled
- 'We’ve had to work hard this sales season' - Kennet Valley seeking to build on success with biggest string
- Alastair Down's archives: the great writer recalls Coneygree's glorious victory in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Top racing books of 2024: must-reads of the year, from the perfect Christmas stocking filler to a pioneering jockey
- Captain Marvel: how a modern master of Cheltenham and a genuine pioneer executed one of the shocks of the year
- 'We’re delighted with how it's going' - joint-trainers prepare for exciting year after Flat string is doubled
- 'We’ve had to work hard this sales season' - Kennet Valley seeking to build on success with biggest string
- Alastair Down's archives: the great writer recalls Coneygree's glorious victory in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup