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THE one thing that we can guarantee in racing at the moment, and therefore the going to which is of immense help when trying to dissect a race, and the prevailing fast ground should prove right up the street of MUKADDAMAH in the Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket due off at 3.22.

She was hugely inconvenienced racing off a slow pace and therefore pulling hard when a never nearer fourth of sixth, beaten a shade under five lengths, in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. There is little doubt that the stiff finish that Headquarters provides should bring out the best of her and with several of her six rivals likely to be at the sharp end throughout, this Listed contest could pan out really nicely for her on only her fifth career start.

Of the other runners, Eternal Pearl looks the biggest danger to the selection. She eased home at long odds on to land her maiden at Kempton Park last time out and there should be plenty more to come from the daughter of Frankel on only her fifth career start.

The main handicap at the track is the 14 furlong event at 3.57, but as with all the races at the track there has been a hugely disappointing turnout with just five set to go to post for this £20,000 race. The nod goes to INDIGO TIMES (one of two runners from the Bernard Llewelyn yard). Winner of seven of his 22 races in his career, six on the sand, this grey gelding didn’t really appreciate the soft ground at Chester last time out and having been dropped 4lbs for that run, he is temptingly weighted on his best form which includes a course and distance success off exactly the same rating just under a year ago.

Of the other events on the card, I also fancy a huge run from the well treated AKKERINGA (2.16) and AMERICAN BELLE in the opening maiden at 1.42.

The main meeting of the day comes in Berkshire when Newbury hosts the Weatherbys Super Sprint Sales Stakes for two-year-olds at 3.30, and it is hard to see past the classy favourite MARIA BRANWELL. The bay filly ran her best race in defeat on her third start last time out, when a cracking and close up third behind Dramatised in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot.

On that occasion, the daughter of James Garfield was marginally outpaced at the distance before coming home three lengths off the impressive winner that day. This is quite obviously an easier assignment for her, and the David O’Meara-trained filly gets the vote over Rogue Spirit with the best of the outsiders possibly being Union Court, who did well against the boys when ninth of the 24 runners in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

The Group Three Hackwood Stakes (2.56) looks wide open with July Cup eighth and last year’s winner, Happy Romance, set to take a steep drop in grade. If she can back up that run over a course and distance which suits her so well, then she is quite rightly the most obvious winner. However, at bigger odds I am prepared to take an each-way chance on DUBAWI LEGEND (nap).

The Hugo Palmer-trained colt has patently not stayed a mile (2,000 Guineas) and then a fast run seven furlongs in the Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting.

This is in fact his first ever start over six furlongs, but as a juvenile he always showed plenty of pace including when picked off late on my Native Trail in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes last autumn. I think that the faster the ground the better for him and he is preferred in turn to the equally unexposed Go Bears Go.

There is a rather poor turnout in the handicap over an extended two miles at 2.21. Withhold will try and give away 4lbs and upwards to his seven rivals, but this course and distance winner is not the horse that he used to be, and may find it tough conceding 20lbs to DIAMOND BAY (nb).

The selection was a big disappointment at Goodwood two outings back on his only career start to date over this staying trip, but seemed to flounder in the ground that day and is best judged on his return to a sound surface last time out, when a strong finishing second at Salisbury over 14 furlongs. This return to two miles should see the modicum of improvement he needs to return to winning form from the foot of the handicap.

A disappointing fourth last time out, CORAJE steps down in grade for the seller at Ripon (1.46) and with the help of the cheek pieces he should have too much for the more experienced Lily In The Jungle.

But the best bet on the card could come in the form of LUMINOUS LIGHT in the mile and a quarter handicap at 2.58. The selection ran way too freely on his three-year-old debut at Chester, and if Franny Norton can get him to relax a wee bit more, he could be well weighted off a rating of just 85.

Elsewhere, the feature Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap at 3.28 could be made to measure for top weight ALRIGHT SUNSHINE who takes a nice drop in class after running 10th of the 20 runners behind the record breaking Trueshan in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. A mark of 99 is hardly a gimme for the seven-year-old, but I fancy that he will be able to give the weight away to Wise Eagle and the three-year-old Approachability.