Sky Sports Racing’s Alex Hammond answers some key questions following the recent action in her latest blog.

York’s Dante meeting was packed with intrigue and class, as ever. How do you rate Pride Of Arras and Whirl for the Epsom Classics after their respective trial wins on the Knavesmire?

Ralph Beckett seemed quietly satisfied after Pride Of Arras had won the Dante, but his SP of 18/1 didn’t suggest he’d been blazing up the gallops, although Beckett said he works better at home than Westover did at the same stage of his career, but also that he has more speed. He has a lovely temperament, and he’s bred to stay. Will he be good enough? We’ll see next month. He’s 4/1 third in with Sky Bet for a race that now looks wide open after Lion Of Winter blotted his copybook. More on him in a moment.

Whirl is 8/1 with Sky Bet for the Oaks but she may not head there as the Prix de Diane was spoken of for this filly in the immediate aftermath of her Musidora romp. Aidan O’Brien has plenty of chess pieces to move around the board for Epsom and is also responsible for Minnie Hauk, and Giselle alongside Whirl as single figure prices for the Oaks. I’d be keener on unbeaten Falakeyah at 7/1 for Owen Burrows, and Revoir (Ralph Beckett) at 16/1 for the Oaks (watch her in the free video replay below). The latter ran an encouraging second place in the Listed Childwickbury Stud Fillies’ Trials Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Was there a beaten horse (or two) over the three days that you’re willing to keep the faith with next time?

Well, I suppose we shouldn’t lose the faith with A Lion In Winter, but it takes plenty of bravery to stick with him in the Derby. He was way too keen at York, and I wouldn’t be confident of him settling over the mile and a half in the Derby. Derby aside, after that race he may be dropped in trip and that’s when I expect he’ll come into his own.

Sticking with the Dante and we shouldn’t overlook Damysus going forward. He stayed on powerfully from the rear of the field to finish a creditable second and looked to come into his own when stamina was required. He’s 9/1 for the Derby and 12s for the Leger.

Can I give you a horse from Leopardstown too, and in fact not a beaten horse either? It’s another Aidan O’Brien-trained horse. A friend of mine messaged me after a colt called Italy had made a winning debut in a seven-furlong maiden at Leopardstown last week to ask if I’d seen him win. I hadn’t, but I have now, and he is one for your tracker. He was slowly away and showed signs of his inexperience, but it was in the last 100 metres that he really shone, and he won cosily in the end. It’s hard to say where he’ll go next but he looks a smart prospect.

If the first four from Saturday’s Lockinge meet again in the Queen Anne at Ascot, who do you see emerging on top?

It was fascinating to see the runners in the flesh beforehand, and it was helpful with the future in mind. Notable Speech looked squidgy round the edges and Rosallion also looked like he would tighten up for the run.

When Lead Artist came out of the paddock and down the walkway, he looked hard fit and ready. He had finished last at Sandown on his reappearance but had come on a bundle for that. So, with that fitness progression from race one to two, it was no wonder he came out on top, albeit he showed a very willing attitude to beat Dancing Gemini, who had the benefit of two runs under his belt this season but still ran another cracker in defeat.

I’m sticking with Rosallion at Royal Ascot though because he’ll be fitter and sharper for his first run since last year’s Royal meeting and whilst his defeat in the Lockinge was disappointing on the face of it, it will have brought him to fever pitch for next month. He’s 7/2 second fav with Sky Bet for the Queen Anne.

Can you see anything troubling the odds-on Field Of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas?

He’s 8/11 favourite to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas which probably doesn’t appeal to many but after his near miss in the 2000 Guineas that price is perfectly understandable. Regular readers of this blog will know I’ve adored this horse since his debut at Doncaster last June, so I hope he gets compensation on Saturday.

Cosmic Year is 4/1 second favourite but I’m not certain that he’ll line up as he’s in the same ownership as the favourite. If he does, he’ll be a serious threat to his “teammate.”

Finally, Derek Thompson is to make his final commentary this summer. What is your favourite “Here comes the favourite” Tommo moment?

Mine isn’t necessarily a favourite commentary moment but it comes from many moons ago on Monday nights at Windsor. Back in the day Tommo used to host a show on Talk Sport from the track, and I was drafted in to work alongside him as he roamed around Windsor racecourse for a few hours. He barely paused for breath over those four hours and was relentless in his quest to make a lively and entertaining show, racegoers loved him. It was a great experience for a newbie broadcaster like me because his work ethic was, and is, second to none, and that shone through in his work. That’s a quality that has never left him and that’s the reason his career has lasted for as long as it has. I hope he relaxes into a slightly quieter way of life, but I’m sure we’ll still see (and hear) plenty of him.

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