The Punting Club 2025 Flat season special: 'He's 10-1 and I wouldn't be surprised if he went off at half that price'

Do you have a trainer and a jockey who it could pay to follow this season?
Mark Brown  

Joe Eccles: Newmarket trainer Jack Morland sent out his first runner in November and has managed eight winners on the all-weather this winter, four of those victories coming from Angel Of Antrim, who was 3-23 before joining the stable. Gaassee, who held a triple-figure rating for William Haggas at this peak, has slipped to a mark of 83 and could be worth noting for the Morland yard this year. Apprentice jockey Archie Young rode 21 winners last year and has a healthy 18 per cent strike-rate when riding for his main supporter Charlie Johnston. Forty nine of his 94 rides for the Johnston stable have posted a top-four finish.

Harry Wilson: The Richard Newland and Jamie Insole team is much underrated. This is their third year with a joint-licence and there are signs it could be their best on the Flat, with eight winners on the board already. Their profile is on the rise, with the likes of Witness Stand, the improving Dividend and potential Classic contender Chess Dad among their team, and they're very good at readying horses first time out, which could be a source of profit. Warren Fentiman has shown himself to be well worth his claim on the all-weather through the winter, especially when riding for Jennie Candlish (29 per cent strike-rate).

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What are your thoughts on the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas? And do you have any big-priced outsiders for the Classics?
Nathan Briggs 

Joe Eccles: I was very impressed by Cosmic Year at Kempton last week but trainer Harry Charlton has since cast doubt over his participation in the 2,000 Guineas. Should he fail to make the line-up, I'd be looking at Ruling Court, who bolted up on his reappearance at Meydan last month. The €2.3 million son of Justify finished third in a hot running of the Acomb at York in August and looks like an exciting colt. He's 10-1 and I wouldn't be surprised if he went off at half that price. 

Ruling Court: impressed in Dubai last timeCredit: Godolphin

In the 1,000 Guineas it is difficult to look past Desert Flower, who blitzed her rivals in the Fillies' Mile over the same course and distance when last seen. The picture for the Epsom Classics should become clearer in the coming months, but one on my radar for the Derby is Seacruiser, who won impressively at Newmarket in September and will benefit from going up in trip. He's 66-1 and those odds will shorten dramatically with a win in one of the Derby trials.

Harry Wilson: I can't see past Desert Flower for the 1,000 Guineas. I backed her for the Classic after watching her win the May Hill and was absolutely delighted to see her bolt up in the Fillies' Mile when last seen. She's shortened considerably since, but deserves to be favourite. I'm also on Twain ante-post for the 2,000 Guineas. He led his rivals a merry dance when winning a Leopardstown maiden by six lengths in October before landing the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud eight days later, impressing with the way he quickened despite hanging markedly left. Aidan O'Brien's words have seen him shorten into favouritism, but it's a more open race. 

Twain: Group 1 winner at Saint-Cloud

The Craven will provide more insight into Field Of Gold, who is on my shortlist as he showed good form as a juvenile and looks just the physical type to improve this year, while Wimbledon Hawkeye is surely too big at 33-1. He's won over the course and distance and wasn't far off The Lion In Winter in the Acomb. I've got Dreamy, who should relish middle-distances, and the well-bred Falling Snow in mind for the Oaks, while I loved the way Gethin won at Newbury on Friday and the patient approach could pay off in the Derby.

Is there a horse on your radar for Royal Ascot?
Daniel Diston

Joe Eccles: In his Racing Post stable tour Aidan O'Brien described new arrival Storm Boy, a Group 2 winner in Australia for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, as "very quick and definitely a sprinter". The four-year-old looks tailor-made for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes over 6f, a race O'Brien last won with Australian native Merchant Navy in 2018.

Harry Wilson: The mile division could be a bit open with Charyn retired to stud, and Diego Velazquez is one I've got pencilled in for the Queen Anne. He was a non-stayer at middle-distances, but he got his career firmly back on track with an authoritative victory in the Meld Stakes and was well on top at the finish when landing the Group 2 Solonaway Stakes at Leopardstown in September. He could have plenty more to offer over a mile.

Aidan O'Brien: trainer of Queen Anne hopeful Diego VelazquezCredit: Patrick McCann

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Give us a handicapper to follow this season
Alex Edwards

Joe Eccles: I am keeping a close eye on Hughie Morrison's Crackergee, who posted progressive Racing Post Ratings in his three juvenile starts. An opening mark of 75 looks workable for the son of Cracksman, while being out of a 1m6f Listed winner he looks sure to appreciate going up in trip. Morrison trains Crackergee's half-brother Kyle Of Lochalsh, who has improved 28lb since sent handicapping, and it would be no surprise to see him unlock similar improvement from Crackergee. 

Harry Wilson: I think the Hugo Palmer-trained King Casper could have been let off lightly with an opening mark of 81. He caught my eye when midfield in a York novice, as he travelled strongly but was repeatedly denied a clear run, and he confirmed that promise when beating three subsequent winners at Haydock next time (third is now rated 96). I think the softer ground played a part in his disappointment over a mile when last seen, but he was going as well as anything two furlongs out and probably faced a tough task trying to give weight away to some smart rivals. The winner cost €1.25m as a yearling and is rated 99, while the second won next time and is rated 92 – both were in receipt of 4lb. The return to a faster surface and possibly a drop back in trip can see him exploit a workable work.

Hugo Palmer: trainer of Harry's handicap fancy King CasperCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Can Kyprios be stopped in the staying division?
George Parry

Joe Eccles: The St Leger tends to be my first port of call when looking for future Cup horses, and last year's winner Jan Brueghel looks a danger to Kyprios. He lost his unbeaten record in Saturday's Alleged Stakes at the Curragh but that run came over 1m2f, which looks a long way short of his optimum. Expect him to sharpen up for the outing and he still retains plenty of scope for improvement on the back of just five starts.   

Jan Brueghel (right): will he develop into a Cup horse this season?Credit: Patrick McCann

Harry Wilson: Jan Brueghel looks all stamina and it was no surprise to see him land the St Leger last year. I thought he'd be the one to take on Kyprios with, but Aidan O'Brien gave the impression he wouldn't pit the two against each other and his reappearance over a mile and a quarter suggests just that. I have no doubt Jan Brueghel will make up into a high-class stayer in time. The other was Dubai Future, who landed the Dubai Gold Cup on his first go at two miles this month. He's a nine-year-old, but he's better than ever and could still have untapped potential as a stayer.

Read these next:

The Lion In Winter set to take in Dante before Derby tilt with connections keen to examine unbeaten colt's stamina 

Aidan O'Brien 'over the moon' with superstar stayer Kyprios as trainer raises possibility of Arc run this season 

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