Horses to follow: Trackside Live team with horses for your tracker from Epsom and Nottingham

Mukhtalif (William Haggas)

4 June – Nottingham - Pricedup.bet Maiden

Maureen Haggas was out walking the course before racing to see whether conditions might be too quick for Mukhtalif but she was happy to let him take his chance, and for all there’s been a few moans about the ride Jim Crowley gave the colt (he certainly wasn’t hard on him late, just the one show of the whip to encourage him) he had the most scope by far in the paddock, although our comments of “not fully fit, but enough ribcage on show to think he can do himself justice” also back up the visuals of him just not quite being able to finish off his race here.

We still made him the pick of the paddock regardless; a slow start didn’t help his cause but he moved like the best horse in the race, and if he can’t make amends and go on to considerably better, we’ll be disappointed. A galloping track will suit best.

Alpha Crucis (Gary & Josh Moore)

6 June – Epsom - Trustatrader Handicap

A back-to-form Mirsky was always going to be tough to beat here, but Alpha Crucis gave it a go and we thought he would come on for a run after a 69-day break, having last been seen out at Doncaster at the start of the season.

Goodwood and heavy ground brought about plenty of improvement last year and he once again looks the sort to do well in the latter half of this year once the rain finally arrives in more of a quantity. Indeed, given past meteorological records, it would hardly be the biggest shock if it hosed down Goodwood Festival week, and he’s have to be on your shortlist for something like the Unibet Mile if that was the case.

Trinculo (George Baker)

6 June – Epsom – Woodcote Stakes

We heard him a long time before he arrived – and when he arrived, we were impressed. Previous comments of ‘green’ and ‘inexperienced’ for the runners already in the paddock paled into insignificance when Trinculo entered the paddock.

Blowing and blustering, the black colt easily earnt the comment ‘will learn plenty’ and dwarfed the remainder of the field as a big, strong physical. The beaten margin of twenty-eight lengths is probably an unfair reflection of Trinculo’s run given the colt was inexperienced and reluctant to load.

He jumped out smartly, ran well for a long way before fading out of contention on his first run – the archetypal ‘one for the notebook’.

Docklands (Harry Eustace)

7 June - Epsom - Diomed Stakes

Docklands really has become a horse I (David Massey) always enjoy looking forward to seeing as a paddock-watcher.

Watching him develop over the past couple of years into the strong, well-built individual he now is has been a joy, and he didn’t disappoint again on Saturday, striding into the paddock like he owned the place. He doesn’t, of course, that honour belongs to Persica (as far as the Diomed field went) but he does own a bit of Ascot, where his full record of 113222 means he’s one to take seriously in a couple of weeks time for the Queen Anne.

And it’s easy to argue he was a shade unlucky here too, locked in a pocket for a few seconds as Ryan Moore and Persica held him in as they came past from further back, and by the time he was out, so too was Persica. He ran strongly to the line from that point and was pulling the winner back with every stride.

Second in the Queen Anne last year and yes, I realise this looks like being a tougher edition this time, but all the same, you ignore this horse at your peril on day one of RA. Get off to a good start by backing Docklands each-way with the (inevitable) extra place on the day.

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