Nick Luck’s blog: Saga can be royal winner on Coronation weekend

William Hill ambassador looks over the 2000 Guineas card from Newmarket and likes the chances of a royal runner on Coronation day.

Newmarket, Saturday

I like the look of HEREDIA in the Listed Chaloner Stakes (2.15pm) that kicks off the action on ITV Racing. She really impressed in that win at Royal Ascot and to my eye that is the best piece of evidence of ability in the field. The drop back to six furlongs shouldn’t be an issue and she is the play at 7/1.

ADMIRAL D looks very tempting in the six-furlong handicap (2.50pm) at 7/1. He’s slipped down the weights and now looks very well-treated off a mark of 92. Jamie Spencer might just be the jockey he needs for a race of this nature, and I found it hard to leave him out of the frame. Plenty in here have interesting profiles, but this might just be the day it all comes right.

Speaking of times when it might all fall into place, I’m hoping that will be the same case with SAGA in the Suffolk Stakes (3.25pm) at 17/2. I’m not sure there is a horse that a gelding operation was more needed for and if it does have the desired effect, he is handicapped to run a big race here. Frankie certainly has a point to prove on him too.

If I had a NAP on Saturday, it would certainly be TWILIGHT CALLS in the Palace House Stakes (4.00pm), who I expect to win this and win it quite convincingly. The Henry Candy stable seems to have found a new lease of life this campaign and that only furthers my enthusiasm as the selection is a seriously talented horse on his day as shown by that second to Nature Strip when last seen in the King’s Stand. A price of 3/1 looks more than fair and I’ll be disappointed if can’t win this.

ROYAL SCOTSMAN is the call in a fascinating 2000 Guineas (4.40pm). Clearly the Ballydoyle duo are big players and I’ll have to have a saver on Little Big Bear if he gets much bigger. Whatever way you look at it, he has the single best piece of form on offer and while that Phoenix Stakes win was only over six, his handler seems pretty hopeful he’ll stay a mile.

He’s a big danger, but I do think Royal Scotsman will run a big race too. I’d be pretty confident he can turn around the Dewhurst form with Chaldean and his pedigree suggests a mile should be no trouble. He broke the track record in the Richmond Stakes, and that in combination with how he races suggest to me this is a very good horse. He should go very well at 9/1.

Churchill Downs, Saturday

I’m in America this weekend for the Kentucky Derby (11.57pm) and I’m hoping TAPIT TRICE can win it at 6/1. I simply think he’s the best horse in the race and providing he gets a good passage through the race from a draw in five, I think he’ll take some stopping. His win in the Blue Grass Stakes was most impressive as I rate the runner-up, Verifying, highly and that should have left him spot on for this.

At a much bigger price of 20/1, I’ll be backing CONFIDENCE GAME each-way. I like that he had five runs as a two-year-old and his trainer is very good at getting street wisdom into young horses. He’s had a perfect preparation for this and his pedigree is ideal for this race.