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THE serious part of the flat season begins right here, right now with the first classic of the 2023 campaign, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes (4.40) at Newmarket and what looks like a possible vintage renewal.

Earlier this week, the Aidan O’Brien-trained AUGUSTE RODIN was the subject of a welter weight of money following his final piece of work and will go to post at around the 6/4 mark in his first leg quest to ultimately land the British Triple Crown.

The son of Deep Impact landed three of his five starts as a juvenile culminating in a three-and-a-half-length win in the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster despite the hock-deep ground being far from perfect for him.

Being out of a Galileo mare, the market leader looks a natural for middle distances so this could probably be the most difficult of the three legs to land especially with specialist milers in attendance among 13 rivals to negotiate.

Like the Irish raider, Silver Knott too will probably find this trip a minimum this season having won the Autumn Stakes over the course and distance last back end before narrowly losing out to Victoria Road in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

At the other end of the speed spectrum, Mill Reef winner Sakheer, is no shoo-in to last home over the Rowley Mile. He races with such enthusiasm, that running here first time out may not be the perfect set-up and he could easily be too buzzy. I would have preferred to take his chance more seriously with a run under his belt despite the reports that the son of Zoffany is working out of his skin at the moment.

Little Big Bear comes under the same, questionable staying banner. However, with plenty of stamina on the dam’s side, by a Bering mare that stayed beyond 10 furlongs, I fancy that this grand specimen of a three-year-old will readily last home. At bigger prices, Craven Stakes hero Indestructible should not be underestimated, while I also think that Greenham Stakes runner-up Charyn will outrun his big odds.

The opening mile-and-a-half handicap at 1.40 looks a competitive affair, but I think that MOKTASAAB could be the percentage call here. You wouldn’t say that he was exactly a blot on the handicap off a mark of 97, but the top of the ground will be right up his street and the son of Lope De Vega has an outstanding record when fresh.

The big betting race of the day is the Heritage Handicap at 2.50 over six furlongs with the weights headed by the evergreen Summerghand. However, I suspect a mark of 107 at the age of nine will be hard to overcome and I much prefer the claims of both SAINT LAWRENCE and Admiral D.

The last named was an eye catching fifth of 11 to Orazio over the course and distance last time out on softer ground, but a quicker surface is no problem whatsoever for the Richard Fahey charge. He looks the biggest danger to the selection who takes a drop in grade after running Garrus to a shade over four and a half lengths in the Group Three Abernant Stakes a fortnight ago in a race that was hardly run to suit. With that run under his belt and back on top of the ground I think he can see of the majority of his 22 rivals at around 25/1.

Elsewhere on the card, it may be worth having a second look at the claims of both SPRING FEELING (2.15) and KING OF CONQUEST in the Suffolk Stakes due off at 3.25.

The ground is sure to be more forgiving at Goodwood on Saturday afternoon and the stand out wager could come in the two-mile, class five handicap at 3.45 in the form of MARK OF GOLD. The Gary Moore-trained charge has been in fine form over hurdles, culminating in a seventh of 21 runners in the Martin Pipe Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Still unexposed on the flat, two wins from nine starts the last off a mark of 81, the selection is set to race off just 73 here and has very solid claims and may be able to see off both Tuddenham Green and Capone.

The Thirsk Hunt Cup (3.40) once again has a wide open look to it, but I fancy that TUSCAN could readily outrun his odds for David O’Meara. A winner off a mark of 87 as a three-year-old, he was then set some stiff tasks which resulted in a close up fourth in a Listed affair at Chester and remained competitive off a three figure mark thereafter. Set to run off a rating of 93 here, his chance is clear to see and he looks the value each-way call over the likes of Symbolize and stable mate Pisanello.

SCOTTISH DANCER is the call in the mile-and-three-quarter handicap at 4.15, while I also think that MAPLE JACK can follow up his course and distance win upped in grade at 2.00.

At the start of a new national hunt season, Uttoxeter’s feature race is a three-mile handicap chase at 4.25 and it could finally be the turn of COCONUT SPLASH to realise his unfulfilled potential. Second to Chantry House as a novice chaser, the selection is now down to a rating of just 130 and looked set to play a part in the finish at Aintree three weeks ago when brought down at the 15th fence. If none the worse for that incident, the Welsh raider may be too good at the weights for the likes of Emir Sacree and Kinondo Kwetu.