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12.45 - Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies' Stakes (7f)
This is an early chance to underline the credentials of William Buick and Rab Havlin. The former is riding as well as anyone in the weighing room right now and getting the rewards to boot. Buick is in confident mood and his five-year stats at Newmarket strongly suggest he'll be amongst the winners across these two days.
We aren't seeing as much of Frankie Dettori in British racing lately and the prime beneficiary appears to be Havlin, who offers a 23 per cent strike-rate and a level stakes return of +44.63 in the preceding month. He's getting some excellent mounts for the John Gosden team with Dettori missing.
Here, Haija offers the best form in this opening maiden, the Shalaa filly having finished second over a mile (good) on debut at this course 20 days ago. That was a decent start and she looks sure to get on the scoresheet soon.
Charlie Appleby won this race with a newcomer in Spring Of Love for Godolphin a year ago and there's lots to like about DIVINE LIGHT here for Godolphin. A 370,000 gns daughter of Kingman, she's well-related and likely to be ready for this opening test under Buick's steer.
Sir Michael Stoute's Bawaady and Ed Dunlop's Potato Park are other notable newcomers.
1.15 - Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies' Stakes (7f)
This maiden contest is something of a guessing game as those that have run don't possess strong form. Andrew Balding's Nebulosa offered something to work with on her second outing over this C&D recently and may come forward again, though she'll need to.
Meanwhile, Hugo Palmer's Dubawi filly Brunnera went off favourite on debut at Newcastle on the all-weather a fortnight ago but couldn't match expectations. She should do better before long.
Buick and Appleby combine again with Romantic Song, perhaps bidding to land both divisions of this race, and she has an appealing pedigree as does HAMHAMA, representing John Gosden, Jim Crowley and Ms Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum.
The Slade Power filly cost 160,000 gns as a yearling and is a half-sister to Threat, a very smart two-year-old last season. She should be speedy and gets the vote on debut.
1.50 - Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes (5f)
Who knows what might have unfolded for METHOD in the Middle Park Stakes at this circuit last month had his saddle not slipped barely two furlongs into the race and deprived him of any chance to shine.
Martyn Meade's chestnut had been mightily impressive en route to wins at Doncaster and Newbury previously, with the form of those races working out nicely. He doesn't look short of pace and should handle 5f here without a worry. Given his market prominence in Group 1 company last time, this mission should be well within his compass and he's fancied to quickly get back on track.
The fillies' Winter Power and Royal Address are respected but the biggest danger might come from Acklam Express.
He, too, is by Mehmas and the gelding came out of the Flying Childers at Doncaster last month with great credit, beaten by less than two lengths when squaring off against some good older horses. Ryan Moore is booked here and they've got valid claims, but Method and champion jockey Oisin Murphy are strongly fancied to be too good.
2.25 - Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes (Fillies' Group 3, 7f)
Joseph O'Brien ventures across from Ireland with Thinking Of You, a filly by American Pharoah with a Limerick debut win and a decent Group 3 run at the Curragh under her belt. She won't mind the soft ground and has Ryan Moore to aid; she just about sets the benchmark.
Not by much, though, as Nazuna ran well in last month's Rockfel Stakes over C&D when second behind the smart winner Isabella Giles for Clive Cox and Adam Kirby. The Kodiac filly has definite claims and looks the choice of two from Roger Varian's string alongside Setarhe - who must put a below-par Lowther run last month at York behind (some promising efforts before that).
Mamba Wamba is a consistent performer this term, despite only having a York novice (5½f, good) to show for her efforts. She'll give her running again in all probability but needs more to score in this grade.
Shine For You could have more to offer after scoring at Leicester recently, but more impressive was SAFFRON BEACH when launching her career with a decisive C&D success last month (good). The New Bay filly did that very nicely under Kirby and, with improvement forecast, looks a big player.
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3.00 - Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes (Group 2, 7f)
There are reasons to doubt a good few of these contenders for one thing or another or, depending on your standpoint - reasons to support them.
Khaloosy's Royal Ascot win in June screamed of a horse with a future in this sort of grade but he's twice been turned over as favourite in Group 3 company since. The jury is out for now.
Daahyeh was a very talented filly at two, winning the Albany at Royal Ascot and the Rockfel over this C&D before signing off with a fine second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. She's hasn't been seen since that November run last year and that's the main concern against her name.
Zakouski is interesting for Godolphin on a card they sponsor and represents that in-form alliance of Appleby and Buick. He goes well fresh but has to prove himself on ground as soft as this, while he needed every single inch of the mile trip to get up and win a Meydan Group 2 in February and so isn't certain to be suited by this drop in trip.
That leaves us with recent Goodwood Group 3 winner HAPPY POWER for Andrew Balding and Silvestre De Sousa in the King Power silks. He acts on any ground but five of his seven wins have come with 'soft' in the going description.
Having found only Limato too good in the Criterion over C&D in June, he's been in fine tune since, winning a Salisbury Conditions event in early August and backing that up with a pleasing Supreme Stakes win at Goodwood late in the same month. He's as likely as any in the field.
3.35 - bet365 Fillies' Mile (Group 1, 1m)
Commentator John Hunt described Indigo Girl as being as 'green as grass' in last month's Group 2 May Hill win at Doncaster. The Dubawi filly scored despite wandering all over Town Moor with Frankie Dettori in the lead.
That was only her second run, so she's entitled to be more streetwise now and clearly is very talented. She will have to chart a straighter course and can just about be opposed as favourite.
Zabeel Queen, Lilac Road and Star Of Emaraaty were amongst those behind her last time out and they may struggle to reverse that form.
There's a strong contingent coming from Ireland, seeking to export this prize for the fifth time in seven years. Aidan O'Brien (three) and Joseph O'Brien (2018) are responsible for those wins.
They are joined by Donnacha here and, together, they account for four of the 11 contenders.
The obvious pair are Pretty Gorgeous (Joseph) and Shale (Donnacha) as they lock horns for the fourth time this season. Shale leads the head-to-head 2-1 after out battling her old rival to win the Moyglare Stud Stakes at Curragh last month. The see-sawing nature of their encounters make them hard to split.
ISABELLA GILES was once more strong in the finish when landing the Rockfel (7f, good) here a fortnight ago for Clive Cox and Adam Kirby. She forced the running from halfway in that contest and certainly wasn't stopping at the line. This is tougher for certain but she's likeable and might have a big say if seeing the distance out, as has looked likely.
4.10 - bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap (Heritage Handicap, 1m4f)
This is as wide open as a handicap of this nature ought to be. Indigo Lake, Doubling Dice, Surrey Pride, Shandoz and Galata Bridge are just a handful of contenders pitching up here in winning form and, despite rising marks and this very tough assignment, all must be respected.
As an each-way alternative, KIPPS is once more put forward. Hughie Morrison's War Command colt showed real promise at Haydock in June on his return to action before chasing home Hukum at Royal Ascot. He's continued to hover in strong handicaps since at this course, York and Ascot without getting a win.
He's something of a frustration now but the market is certainly allowing for that at this stage. It will rate as a shock if he ends this season without sticking his grey head in front and soft ground here won't be a problem.
4.45 - Darley Pride Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Group 3, 1m2f)
Something must have ailed Franconia in the Yorkshire Oaks. She was unlikely to give too much concern to Love but, even so, her run was much too poor to be true. Back at this mile-and-a-quarter trip, which has twice yielded Listed wins twice this season, she may well bounce back.
Similarly, Magic Lily didn't fire at Royal Ascot in June (mile) but had previously been third over C&D in Group 2 fare behind Terebellum on her seasonal bow. That form gives her major claims and soft ground is not a barrier.
The five-year-old Anna Nerium excelled at Goodwood last time when tackling this distance for the first time and isn't dismissed in any haste, though this is a tougher contest on paper.
The progressive three-year-old ANGEL POWER gets the nod after coming home strongly to win a Listed contest over this distance last month at ParisLongchamp with a few of these behind. Roger Varian's Lope De Vega filly is piecing together a fine season and has got better with each start. She merits a step up in class.
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