THE GUINEAS have passed and now it’s full steam ahead to the first weekend in June and the Epsom Derby Festival.  This week has seen some potential Classic clues at Chester and the Dante meeting at York next week will, no doubt, provide yet more.  However, this weekend we focus on Lingfield and their trials for the two big races at Epsom.  The Oaks Trial looks a close contest with some potentially unexposed sorts whereas the Derby trial revolves around Curtain Call and whether he handles the ground and can concede the weight to all (providing he actually runs that is!).  Therefore a watching brief is recommended here and our focus must turn to the other big meet occurring not too far away at Ascot.  The big handicap on the card is the seven furlong Victoria Cup which features a clutch of old favourites plus the new brigade.  One of the aforementioned old favourites is James Bethell’s Mine who has an excellent record in these big field handicaps.  Now 10 years old he returned to action with a very good performance at Doncaster to be sixth in the Lincoln over a trip just about his maximum and on ground that wouldn’t have been totally to his liking.  He then carried top weight in atrocious conditions at Newbury and struggled but that race has already started to churn out the winners.  The triple Bunbury Cup winner has won seven of his ten races on a straight track and with the ground currently on the firm side of good he should give a decent account of himself.  The opening contest, a mile-and-a-half Listed race, should be the perfect opportunity for Ivy Creek to get back to winning ways.  The Geoff Wragg-trained half-brother to Distinction was fourth behind the good thing Royal and Regal at Newbury recently staying on well at the end.  He ran well on his only start at the Royal Meeting in 2006 and could put in another big performance on his second ever run at the venue.

Selections – 1.10 Ascot, 2 Ivy Creek