Sam King has tipped three winners across his last two columns and is back with three more selections on Thursday.
Britain's most coveted evening meeting takes centre stage, with Sandown's Brigadier Gerard night featuring some top-class action.
It's often a good source of finding future Group 1 winners, so a keen eye should be kept on the feature races by all.
The Group 3 Star Sports Brigadier Gerard Stakes looks like a cracking contest, with some classy equine talents taking each other on at the Esher venue.
John and Thady Gosden's unbeaten Ombudsman will find giving 3lb away to the rock-solid Almaqam no easy task, but he looked to have more than a touch of star quality about him last season and could prove equal to the assignment in hand.
A winner of all four of his outings to date, Ombudsman found himself unraced as a juvenile before striking at the first time of asking in a warm-looking Newmarket novice on the July Course.
Following a comfortable win under a penalty at Leicester, the striking son of Night Of Thunder has his sights raised in France, but once again the result proved the same as Ombudsman tanked his way to a three-and-a-half length victory over the now 110-rated Sons And Lovers in the Listed Prix Nureyev at Deauville. A snug success in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d'Orange over the likes of Start Of Day and Map Of Stars, who has since been beaten a neck by Sosie in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, confirmed as a horse destined for the top level and in all truth, it's fairly frightening that we might not have seen the best of him.
It's tough to gauge just how much more there could be in the tank but given the fact he was unraced as a juvenile, you can surely expect plenty more to come in what is just his second full season in training.
John and Thady Gosden's team have been firing on all cylinders of late, including at the top-level thanks to Lockinge and Irish 2000 Guineas victories from Lead Artist and Field Of Gold, so there are no question marks in that regard, while being drawn in stall four under Ryan Moore looks absolutely ideal in contrast to Almaqam potentially tricky starting berth in gate one.
A rating of 112 and a 3lb penalty for winning a Group 3 last season leaves him with something to find on the bare figures, but he looks vastly progressive and can strike in this before being seen in Group 1 company next time out.
2pt Win – Ombudsman
Odds – 5/2
Later on the card, Opera Ballo can get back to winning ways in the first-time hood after pulling ferociously hard when sixth on his turf debut behind Field Of Gold in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket in April.
The fact he was sent off a 7/2 chance to beat subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas hero Field Of Gold in the Craven Stakes tells you this is a horse the boys in blue clearly hold in the highest regard, while in all truth, he had no right to still be in contention at the two-furlong marker given how hard he pulled early on.
The manner of his two prior victories at Kempton, the second of which came in the same race that his stablemate Notable Speech won before claiming 2000 Guineas glory, suggests he's a colt with huge upside potential, while his RPR (Racing Post Rating) of 119 is 4lb clear of his nearest pursuer.
Charlie Appleby's colt is in receipt of 5lb from main market rival Bay City Roller, who puts his unbeaten record on the line on his first start since winning the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last October.
Opera Ballo brings a clear fitness edge over George Scott's contender, and he should have every chance of regaining the winning thread if the first-time hood helps him settle in this evening's Listed Heron Stakes (8.05).
1pt Win – Opera Ballo
Odds – 6/4
Despite being 0-12 on the turf, Dark Side Thunder looks like the best bet on the Yarmouth in the six-furlong handicap at 4.45.
The Jessica Macey-trained gelding often goes well at the seaside track having found the frame on four of his five visits to Yarmouth, while stepping back up in trip following a promising third-place finish (well-backed) here fifteen days ago looks like another positive.
A current mark of 71 also catches the eye for this seven-time all-weather winner, who only last season was seen finishing a length behind Holkham Bay, who is now rated 97, in a much more competitive six-furlong sprint off 77 at York.
He's handled good-to-soft on numerous occasions in the past and given he's a full-brother to the stables Thunder Star, who won on soft and placed on heavy ground, this afternoon's official description of soft, good-to-soft (in places) shouldn't be an issue.
He looks well-treated racing off 3lb lower than his last winning mark and may be capable of shedding the elusive maiden tag on turf.
1pt Win - Dark Side Thunder
Odds – 11/2
