Five Horses To Follow This Weekend - 26/06/2019

Anthony Van Dyck will bid to become the nineteenth horse in history to do the English/Irish Derby double at the Curragh this weekend.

Winner of the Epsom classic earlier this month, the third and sixth from the race (Japan, Circus Maximus) were both winners at Royal Ascot last week, thus boosting the form.

He will have a repeat assignment ahead of him with both Broome and Madhmoon - two close finishers on the Downs to rival once more, but always tipped as a 'Derby' horse from his juvenile performances, he will be tough to beat again.

Ryan Moore has confirmed he will take the ride on the favourite, with trainer Aidan O'Brien seeking a record extending thirteenth win in the race.

Monarch Of Egypt was perhaps a disappointing absentee at Royal Ascot last week, having spent much of the ante-post market at the head of the Coventry Stakes betting.

Eventually won by stablemate Arizona - also entered in the Group Two GAIN Railway Stakes at the Curragh this weekend, Aidan O'Brien chose to sidestep a trip to England in favour of remaining on home soil.

This certainly could be the place to see him start a race for just the second time, after an inspiring debut at Naas in April in the colours of PM Brant and the rest of team Ballydoyle.

A son of American triple-crown winner American Pharaoh, and out of Galileo's daughter Up, he is so beautifully bred and looks a very exciting recruit going forward.

Plenty to more to come, and will surely be a Group One horse in time and if coming through this unscathed, but a lot depends on the opposition that line-up here.

The cash machine of 2017 is finally due to make his first appearance since finishing last of 18 in the Challenge Cup at Ascot of the same year, behind subsequent Queen Anne winners Accidental Agent and Lord Glitters.

He was victorious on his three starts before that disappointment however, with notable wins at Sandown, Newmarket and York in the space of two months.

The now five-year-old remains relatively lightly-raced and really fired his way through the classes in the handicaps; always primed to be a group horse in time.

Sadly injury blighted that progress, but he is ready to kick on now for William Haggas and to get his career back on track at Windsor on Saturday.

Great to see the son of Requinto return, and hopefully he will be back to his brilliant best in no time.

Invincible Army's fine progression as a four-year-old was halted at Royal Ascot last week when finishing a disappointing seventh for his standards in the Diamond Jubilee, but trainer James Tate is wasting no time to get his star sprinter back on track.

Wins at Doncaster and at York in the Clipper Logistics Stakes projected him into contention for Group One glory in Berkshire seven days ago, but was demolished by Blue Point even after the Godolphin sprinter had won the King's Stand Stakes four days earlier.

He cannot be ruled out however and simply forgotten about from one performance, and has beaten some fine sprinters already this term.

The drop in grade should get his confidence back, before hoping to tackle some further top-banded races between now and the end of the term, including perhaps the Sprint Cup at Haydock.

The Northumberland Plate is the feature race in Britain this weekend - taking place at Newcastle, and whilst there appears to be a major gamble forming around Roger Varian's Gibbs Hill, Mark Johnston's King's Advice is going to be difficult to pushover.

The five-year-old is a perfect six out of six since moving to Johnston's yard from Germany, and has risen over two stone in the weights since his transfer.

A rapidly progressing horse, he has picked up wins at Goodwood, Ripon and Thirsk on the turf recently, but is no stranger to the artificial surface having also collected prizes at Wolverhampton, Kemptin and Lingfield.

This will be his first appearance over two-miles, but has displayed all the attributes that this new trip will suit.