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THE first two Classics of the season take place this weekend at ”Headquarters” and we will have two fairly tight favourites for both the colts’ and fillies’ events with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Field of Gold a tight market leader for the former, following a hugely impressive comeback success in the Craven Stakes over the course and distance a fortnight ago.

What made it even more emphatic was the view from the handlers that this son of Kingman was only 80 per cent fit and physically you could tell he needed the run to put an edge on him. Ruling Court looks the best of the Godolphin squad although I would be a little wary that both he and the favourite wouldn’t want the ground rattling fast with the same remark applying to Craven second Wimbledon Hawkeye.

So looking outside of that trio I fancy a huge run at an each-way price in the form of the Irish raider GREEN IMPACT (3.35) in this 2,000 Guineas.

Jessie Harrington’s runner will definitely stay further in time (entered in the Dante and Epsom Derby) and twice accounted for subsequent Ballysax Stakes winner Delacroix last season in a maiden at Leopardstown, and then stepped up on that with a half-a-length success in the Juvenile Champion Stakes also at the Dublin track in September.

With plenty of the 11-runner field set to race at the sharp end, the son of Wootton Bassett should get a lovely tow into this and hopefully his guaranteed stamina will make him hard to hold up the final climb.

The girls go to post on Sunday in the 1,000 Guineas (3.35) and the word from Newmarket is that short-priced favourite Desert Flower has been training out of her skin and will quite obviously be very hard to turn over. Her win in the Fillies’ Mile over the course and distance showed she acts on this track which needs a well balanced animal to get the job done.

Let’s make no bones about it — she is the most likely winner, but anything around the even-money mark is too short for me and my each-way call is the Ger Lyons-trained CHANTEZ who if declared looks way too big at around the 33/1 shot. In her absence, Ger’s other runner, RED LETTER would be the call at a shorter price. The daughter of Frankel is surely way better than her fourth behind Lake Victoria in the Group One Stud Stakes when absolutely nothing went right for her and she should at least make the top two in the market work for their money.

Back to Saturday and the handicapper I am really sweet on is the Brian Meehan-trained INISHFALLEN (1.45) who for the most part ran well below expectations in his three-year-old season. However, the one thing that he didn’t get last year, until his final start, was quick ground. That came at Yarmouth when he ran First Folio to three quarters of a length. 

His comeback run at Newbury was slightly confusing. First of all because his handler stepped him up to a mile for the first time in his career and secondly Sean Levey rode him from the front. Racing with plenty of enthusiasm, the selection only backed out at the distance, but surely racing mid pack back over this trip and on top of the ground will be more his thing. Down to a mark of 93, rated 102 as a two-year-old, and with that run under his belt to my eyes all he needs is a run through the pack in the closing stages to have a shot at the frontrunners.

TIGER BAY (1.10) could outstrip her price in the opening Listed Ellen Chaloner Stakes, while RUMSTAR (2.55) could be yet another to come off the pace in the Group Three Palace House Stakes for Jonathon Portman. The five-year-old has always been at his best when afforded a fast pace to run at and that is exactly what he will get here. It took a while for Ed Dunlop to find his best trip, but he has now settled on a mile for his STERLING KNIGHT (5.50) and fit from the all-weather I think he will massively outrun his price in this ultra competitive 15-runner event.

The Thirsk Hunt Cup has always been one of my favourite betting races and despite a huge gamble on my selection going south last year, I am going to go in again with the Richard Hughes-trained WHIP CRACKER.

The Lambourn handler has his team in cracking form at the start of the turf season and chalked up an 18 per cent strike rate in the last 14 days.

His charge remains a maiden in the turf after seven outings, placed on four occasions, and he was unlucky a number of times last year most notably when drawn on the wrong side of the track in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot. His comeback run at Wolverhampton in the Lincoln Trial offered plenty of promise and then in the Lincoln itself at the Town Moor track, he was beginning to make headway from three furlongs out before being badly hampered a furlong and a half out. 

Finley Marsh wasn’t hard on him thereafter and I fancy Pat Cosgrave may well feel the benefit of that kind ride here. Of his rivals, Obelix looked more than a shade unlucky over seven furlongs here last month, while Kevin Ryan’s Hi Royal takes a big drop in class running in his first handicap, although there is little doubt that the Hambleton handler would prefer some dig in the ground for his charge, which he is unlikely to get here.

As far as the rest of the card is concerned, LETMESEETHECOLTS (3.50) should run well off bottom weight in the staying handicap while outsider Another Investment may well have to play second fiddle behind KINGS MERCHANT (4.23) who can land a third course and distance win by flying home late in his typical running style.