15:05 Ascot

An abundance of potential lining up for the Coventry as you’d expect and one I’m really looking forward to seeing is PERSIAN FORCE (best price 10/3). Richard Hannon has said he is potentially one of the best he has ever trained following that Newbury romp last month. He is a perfect 2-2 and looks a bit of a rocket! I can only see him improving with this likely to be run at a real good clip and hopefully he is the one swooping past late on under Rossa Ryan. Blackbeard is favourite and is 3-3 now after lowering the colours of Tough Talk at the Curragh last time. His run style may leave him vulnerable in the closing stages at this track though and while he has to be respected I’m confident the selection can pick up him. Bradsell looked quite raw winning on debut at York and if he is streetwise enough for this test so soon in his career he might be the one to emerge as the danger.

15:30 Thirsk

Benoit De La Sayette continues to impress in the saddle and he looks to have a good chance of a winner again at Thirsk on Tuesday. Shamardal colt BAY OF HONOUR (best price 7/4) is bred to be pretty smart and he left his debut run behind to win readily at Kempton on final start as a 2yo. We haven’t seen him since but he is likely to have progressed since and he could be one to follow not just today but over the next few weeks as well. He has to give 7lb and more to his rivals here but the step up to a mile is only going to unlock further improvement and I’m keen to keep him on side. Positive Impact is the danger and he just got short of room before finishing third at Leicester last time. He has already been gelded though and I think lacks the potential of the selection. King’s Crusader shaped well in defeat over C&D on reappearance last month and is also noted.