Potential Derby candidates and a Canadian Grade 1 hope? Four horses worth watching at Salisbury on Wednesday

Graeme Rodway profiles four horses to watch on a traditionally strong card at Salisbury

Easy Answer (2.30)

Juvenile races at Royal Ascot do not come much hotter than the Coventry Stakes and Easy Answer was thought good enough to contest that race on only his second start. He finished midfield after going off at 100-1, but that is still a good effort in the context of this novice.

Trainer Michael Bell appears to have found the No Nay Never colt a good opportunity to bounce back and build on the promise he had shown on his debut at Yarmouth. He was beaten only a length and a quarter in third, despite his inexperience.

Connections will be hoping that Easy Answer can make his presence felt in Group company in time, and this race has been won by several who were up to that level. Persica (2023) and Five Ways (2025) were successful in Group 3s, while the 2020 winner Minzaal won a Group 1.

Quest For Stars (3.30)

Two of the last five winners of this Listed race landed the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine next time and one, Albahr, was trained by Charlie Appleby. Albahr had a remarkably similar profile to Quest For Stars, coming in after back-to-back novice wins.

Quest For Stars has recorded a best Racing Post Rating of just 83 and that is 23lb behind the 106 that Albahr had achieved before his victory, but maybe he does only just enough. His two victories have come by margins of just a short head and half a length, but he did the job.

This is an entirely different test for Quest For Stars, but it is evidently a tried-and-trusted route for Appleby and it will be fascinating to see if Canada is on the agenda should he win.

Quest For Stars15:30 Salisbury

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Jky: Connor Planas Tnr: Charlie Appleby

Rafe's Da Man (3.30)

One key difference between Richard Hannon and his predecessor and father, Richard Hannon snr, is that he tends to bring his juveniles along slowly and Rafe’s Da Man is another good example.

The Ghaiyyath colt has steadily progressive RPRs that read 31, 63, 79 and 92, and he took a massive step forward when successful in a Glorious Goodwood maiden last time that was worth more than £38,000 to the winner. It is often won by an above-average sort.

Rafe’s Da Man had a BHA rating of just 80 going into it, but is now on 91 and is bred to stay significantly further than the 7f over which he won last time. This stiff mile will be right up his street and it is not beyond the realms of possibility he can become a Derby contender.

Rafe's Da Man15:30 Salisbury

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Jky: Pat Dobbs Tnr: Richard Hannon

Miss Scott (4.30)

It is 17 years since High Heeled thrashed ill-fated subsequent King George winner Harbinger by more than six lengths at Newbury, but her legacy lives on because Miss Scott’s dam, Queen Guenevere, is a half-sister to High Heeled, who ended her career with John Gosden.

The Gosden stable has won two of the last seven runnings of this race and Miss Scott is similar to last year’s winner Miss Justice in that she comes into the race after a novice win.

This is a step up in class, but half-siblings Grand Stars and Catalina Delcarpio were successful in Listed company and Miss Scott is evidently bred for the job. With the Gosden team knowing what is needed and having booked Oisin Murphy, she is one to watch.