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2pts win Remarkable in 4.00 Ascot at best-morning price
2pts win Zubayr in 3.10 Haydock at best-morning price
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A typically competitive field for Saturday's totescoop6 Victoria Cup at Ascot can be led home by REMARKABLE who returns to a course at which he has shown strong form.
John Gosden's gelding (he had the operation halfway through last season) won his first two starts in 2016 and progressed to finish fifth behind Ribchester in the Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting before rounding off his campaign with a fine second behind Yuften in the Balmoral Handicap over a mile here on Champions Day.
While Yuften disappointed in the Lincoln a few weeks ago, that form still looks very good given that third-placed Firmament was in the form of his life and fourth-placed Afjaan absolutely bolted in at Haydock a fortnight ago.
Remarkable, who seems equally effective at seven furlongs or a mile, hasn't always been totally straightforward but he has talent to burn, could easily be good enough for a return to Group company and, with Kieran Shoemark, taking off 3lb and the Gosden team remaining in excellent form, looks bound to go close.
The obvious favourite is the lowly-weighted Fastnet Tempest who looked to have Newbury's Spring Cup (1m) won last month only to succumb in the final 50 yards (George William fourth, Bossy Guest fifth, Donncha seventh, Zhui Feng 13th).
In theory, the drop in trip here should make him more effective though both his career victories have come at a mile, and he has raced over much further in the past.
Fastnet Tempest's stable-companion Squats also has a decent chance based on some consistent efforts here, notably placed twice behind Librisa Breeze on a variety of ground conditions, last term though he clearly has little in hand of the handicapper.
At Haydock, after an excellent second in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last month, ZUBAYR is fancied to go one better in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls' French import has been a bit hit and miss since winning a decent juvenile hurdle at Kempton on his English debut in February 2016 but his effort at Ayr was eye-catchingly better than previous starts and he might well have held off the winner Chesterfield but for a mistake at the final flight.
It's possible that Zubayr is better at this time of year as he ran well on the Flat in France in May/June 2015 and, sent back across the Channel last May, he finished an excellent third behind the high-class Willie Mullins-trained Footpad and smart local performer Device at Auteuil.
On that form, and his most recent effort, a bold show must be expected.
Preview posted at 1215 BST on 12/05/2017
