Punting pointers to the biggest prize on offer in Britain on Saturday

totepool Queen's Cup Handicap (Class 2) | 1m6f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RUK

With a host of progressive young stayers and a veteran Pattern race performer at the top of the weights, organisers have certainly got a race worthy of the £100,000 prize-money, which has prime position in ITV4's coverage.

Study has strong claims

If either winning course form or Mark Johnston-trained stayers are a key part of your strategy in a race like this, then Time To Study will be the obvious starting point.

The Mallard Handicap at Doncaster's St Leger meeting has a long history of uncovering future talent and the four-year-old's defeat of Byron Flyer – with five lengths back to the third – marks the son of Motivator as one to keep on side.

Winter fitness

One of the key questions this early in the turf season is whether those who showed good form last year can compete with those who have been busy on the all-weather or over jumps.

Mount Tahan has shown progressive form at shorter trips on the Polytrack and looks potentially the pick of the winter warriors if his stamina holds out.

Carbon Dating (left) wins this race 12 months agoCredit: Grossick Racing Photography 0771

Mixboy and Night Of Glory have both been kept on the go jumping while Carbon Dating has been running on the turf at Meydan and, most recently, Abu Dhabi, having won this race 12 months ago off a similar campaign.

Cookie still has class

Clever Cookie's last run in handicap company came when finishing sixth in the Betfred Ebor, while a decent performance in the Doncaster Cup suggested the now-ten-year-old is no back number.

What they say

Peter Niven, trainer of Clever Cookie
He's getting older but seems fine. There's the Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham in two weeks and this will be a nice prep. He's in good nick and although he has plenty of weight, he's a big horse and has to carry a lot more than 9st 10lb every day with me on his back.

Charlie Johnston, assistant trainer of Time To Study
For one of ours he's quite lightly raced and we're hopeful there's more to come. A mile and six with a bit of give in the ground is perfect and I expect him to go well. We've had the race in mind for quite some time and we're hopeful he'll be running in Pattern staying races later in the year, so this is not the be-all and end-all. He's ready to do himself justice.

Jim Goldie, trainer of Sir Chauvelin and Euchen Glen
We've targeted the race for Sir Chauvelin and he's in good form. He's been running over hurdles, but we've freshened him up for this. We'll be dropping him in and riding for a finish and it's a case of whether the gaps come. Euchen Glen is drawn well in stall one but has had the winter off and probably isn't as race fit at Sir Chauvelin. He's probably quite well handicapped and handles softer ground better than Sir Chauvelin.

Harry Fry, trainer of American Gigolo
He’s got a progressive profile and came out of Newcastle really well. He only went up 3lb for that, which was fair and got us into this valuable race. It’s another step up the ladder, but he’s going the right way and I’m sure he has a decent chance in what looks a wide-open race.

Andrew Balding, trainer of Night Of Glory
The draw is not ideal and it has made life a little bit tougher, but he's in good form and will like the ground. The more rain they get the better.

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