Three horses to keep onside this Saturday now the rain has arrived

After one of the driest springs in at least 20 years today could be the day when horses that may have run on ground quicker than they would ideally like take a step forward on what they have achieved so far this season.

With the rain teeming down it's time to look through the form book and find three horses that will appreciate the easing conditions.

Divinely
2.15 Lingfield

Many of the leading contenders for the Novibet Oaks Trial have questions to ask in terms of softening ground but the clear pick of Divinely's five starts as a two-year-old was her win on heavy ground at the Curragh in the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Stakes.

That was over a mile but she looks likely to appreciate middle distances – she is a sister to Arc heroine Found – while the limited evidence from last weekend's Guineas meeting at Newmarket suggests Aidan O'Brien's fillies might be straighter first time up than the colts.

Alounak
2.30 Ascot

Several of the leading market contenders for the Tote-sponsored Buckhounds Stakes boast solid form on soft ground at Ascot, including Albaflora and Without A Fight, who finished second and third to Berkshire Rocco over 1m6f here last October.

Alounak showed his appreciation of an easy surface when chasing home Fanny Logan in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

At a likely double-figure price, Alounak found only the fast-finishing Fanny Logan too good in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes last June.

While that may not have been the strongest edition of that race, Alounak also boasts decent efforts from his time with Waldemar Hickst in Germany and, while soft ground isn't by any means essential, he handles it well enough to hope that a winter gelding operation can revive his fortunes.

3.25 Lingfield

The Clive Cox-trained Isabella Giles boasts some very smart from at two and carries 7lb less than her older rivals Bounce The Blues and Double Or Bubble.

While she went on to land the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket, arguably her best performance was a seven-length stroll in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on a day when soft-ground specialists really came to the fore.

She ran well for a long way in the Fred Darling Stakes on her return to action – the going was good at Newbury – while her sire Belardo thrived with cut with cut underfoot.

Isabella Giles thrived on soft ground at Goodwood last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

And a race to be wary of...

Adayar has been all the rage for the Derby Trial (2.50) off the back of a promising comeback effort in the Sandown Classic Trial, while trainer Charlie Appleby told the Racing Post that "the likely ease in the ground may help him," pointing to deep conditions when he broke his maiden at Nottingham last autumn.

The trouble is that the market has reacted very swiftly and Adayar is now even money, while there is not too much encouragement in terms of the opposition.

In particular Scope, who won on heavy ground at Newbury on debut, may be something of a false friend. He is from a family of very strong stayers including Oaks winner Look Here and were it to turn into a real test of stamina that might help but, in common with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Kyprios, most of Scope's more talented relatives preferred a sound surface.

Read more on Saturday's racing:

ITV Racing tips: one key runner from each of the nine races on ITV4 on Saturday

2.50 Lingfield: Is there a genuine Epsom contender ready to pounce in the Derby Trial?

Members' Club: Exciting Adayar could be the next Derby contender to boost a resurgent trial

Members' Club: It's not High Definition but Lingfield trials could still unearth an Epsom star

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