Jarvis's time has Come in the Victoria Cup

ASCOT
2.20: IT'S a cracking day's racing on Saturday and the headline event from a betting perspective has to be the Victoria Cup Handicap over seven furlongs at Ascot.

As ever, this is a race which is every bit as competitive as any handicap at the Royal meeting next month and it is a good pointer to the Royal Hunt Cup over a furlong further.

The key to this race is going to be the fast ground, which is nearly always evident on the straight course that they use and it takes a good deal of rain to change.

Last year, it rained the night before and all during the day to produce soft ground which played in the favour of Wise Dennis, but, this year, the fast ground horses will undoubtedly have their say.

On a point of handicapping, Zaahid would have been top of my book, but he surely needs a bit of give in the ground and he is therefore worth opposing.

Old man Mine relishes these tests over a mile and he looks to have a good draw on the far side of the track, which, on fast ground, normally holds sway.

I think that South Cape could well pick up a big handicap this year, having experienced a baron time in the past year.

Mick Channon's yard are in fine form and I shall be having a saver on the five-year-old with a good young claimer aboard, but the one that I like best is the Mchael Jarvis trained We'll Come.

This lovely big sort was never going to come into his own until at least the age of four and I think that he is a Listed/Group 3 horse in the making.

If that is true and my prophecy comes to fruition, then he must surely go close off a mark of 93 despite his stall nine draw.

He can sometimes take a real tug early on, but his trainer reports him in fine fettle and having grown into his already massive frame.

He has gone well when fresh in the past as well.

3.20: Later on, the two mile handicap looks a cracking betting event with 10 set to go to post and I really like the look of Buster Hyvonen.

This six-year-old should have won at Great Leighs last time out, but he was just run out of things by a rival that wanted it more.

Oscar Urbina takes over from Jamie Spencer here and this horse, who was balloted out of the Chester Cup, has sound claims of gaining compensation here and, if he manages to settle early on and preserve his energy, the ground won't be a problem.

LINGFIELD
There is some cracking racing at Lingfield Park today and the big events are the Classic trial races at 2.40 and 3.10 respectively.

2.40: The Oaks trial looks a below par event and Ice Queen, despite looking nowhere near enough to improve O'Brien's record in the Epsom event, should be good enough to beat the likes of Mischief Making and Jazz Jam.

3.10: The Derby trial should be Curtain Call's winning prep for Epsom, but I think he will be scratched with the ground likely to be on the fast side of good, so, in his absence, I fancy that Campanologist can take advantage.

His victory in the Feilden Stakes was all the more noteworthy as they went no pace early on and he quickened up to beat Kandahar Run in clear cut-fashion.

This step up in trip should be spot on for this son of Kingmambo and he could well be a lively player for the big race next month.
NOTTINGHAM
2.55: Over at Nottingham, I really like the claims of Kashoff in the Class 3 Handicap. I think that this three-year-old is well handicapped against his peers and I expect a massive run.

6.40: At Thirsk, Mr Wolf should run a massive race.

It normally takes this veteran sprinter a couple of runs to get into the flow of things. But I fancy that he can give the weight away to the likes of Dorn Dancer and Alexander Huricane.

Farringdon's Weekend Double

SATURDAY
We'll Come
Ascot 2:20 (nap)
Ice Queen
Lingfield 2:40

SUNDAY
Potts of Magic
Uttoxeter 4:30 (nap)
Absolute Power
Plumpton 4:40

Houseman's Choice

SATURDAY
Zaahid
Ascot 2:20
SUNDAY
Spare Cash
Uttoxeter 2:30