The Scout provides her top tips for this week (Image: Daily Express)
Melissa, aka The Scout, is the current Racing Post National Press Challenge champion after she led the field of 11 tipsters to the finish in 2025. The stamina-sapping competition was based on more than 9,600 selections throughout the year. A good final furlong helped her cause, but Melissa has maintained her form – and set a new record by finishing top of the standings for a fourth month on the trot in February before tipping this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Gaelic Warrior.
York’s Dante Festival is upon us this week with 11 horses going on to glory in the Classic the main race trials horses for the Derby at Epsom. The ante-post picture has become clearer of late, bookmakers promoting the Aidan O’Brien-trained Benvenuto Cellini to 9-4 favourite in the days following his four-and-a-quarter length Chester Vase success.
Constitution River is next in at 5-1 with William Hill after he came through his Roodee trial well, but there are some doubts over his participation, with the shorter French Derby a nominated alternative. Then there is Maltese Cross for owner and film producer George Waud, a stamina-laden thoroughbred with battling qualities and a touch of class.
Stablemate Morshdi has been rerouted to the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes from Chester where the team felt the ground was unsuitable.
Unbeaten Frankel colt Item, only rated 93 and for whom the Derby distance might be a bit of a stretch, is entered in Thursday’s contest for in-form Andrew Balding, while the John and Thady Gosden-saddled Saxon Street could try and step up on his Blue Riband Trial exploits at the Derby venue just over two weeks ago.
I’m keen to see which runners, of the 12 in the mix, are declared and where the pace is going to come from before making a selection.
With more experienced horses to assess, there is an early tip for the Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes and that is FALLEN ANGEL (3.30), 9-2 with bet365 ante-post.
See The Fire bolted up by 12 lengths last year and is 5-4 for a repeat, but that is skinny considering she is meeting better quality rivals here.
Fallen Angel has been a star for Karl Burke and owners Wathnan Racing, winning the Group One 2025 Sun Chariot Stakes, Matron Stakes, Prix Rothschild and the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 2024.
Her trainer was able to give her more races than any other time of her career last season and she was relentless from the front on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile when gaining her most recent first.
The runner-up Blue Bolt, beaten two-and-a-quarter lengths, is no slouch and Cathedral, just behind one of this week’s rivals Diamond Rain Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, was back in fifth.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what Fallen Angel can do at ten furlongs, as a speedier type than fellow top tier runner Kalpana, whose Juddmonte ownermate Red Letter has Ryan Moore down to ride.
Some rain is on the way to hopefully take any firm out of the ground for Burke’s trainee, who will hopefully be fit enough to do herself justice.
The last daughter of Grade One globetrotter Dank in James Wigan’s silks, LILT (2.20), holds entries in the Coronation, Pretty Polly and Irish Oaks.
Her dam, who died in 2023 at the age of 14, captured the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf over 1m 2f at Santa Anita and the slightly shorter Beverly D. Stakes around Arlington Park.
William Haggas sent Lilt to an end-of-season maiden at Doncaster in October, where she made all over seven furlongs on soft ground.
Her half-sister Doom was last seen taking a Listed event at a mile and Friday’s same level Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes on the Knavesmire is one option for the youngest member of the family.
Haggas has also entered Lilt in a mile novice on the same card and she is one to keep an eye on having learned plenty without having a hard race on debut.
Maxi King bagged the each-way cash at 20-1 for this column in the Chester Cup and WICKET KEEPER (2.55) has frame claims at long odds in Wednesday’s Churchill Tyres Handicap at York.
Sold to Antony Brittain for 55,000 guineas, the four-year-old gelding ran a race full of promise on yard debut at Newcastle, where there have been many well-supported stable winners over the years.
Wicket Keeper went off at 33-1 and led the field inside the final furlong, away from where the race developed late on and was won by the really nice sprinting prospect Power Fizz.
My value pick’s next run has a line put through it as they didn’t go mad on the front end and I think with a solid gallop, getting a possible tow from American Style in stall 22, Wicket Keeper can give it his best shot.
On the same afternoon, SUSPECTED (3.08) goes for a Perth double in the Murrayshall Golf Handicap Hurdle, up 6lb in the weights.
Out of a winning hurdler at three miles on quick ground, he was revitalised by the extra distance last time and defeated an in-form horse with ease.
Later today Mark Rimell’s stable stalwart THAPA VC (5.00) chases course and distance win number three at Bath.
The distance stretched this old favourite last time and he has been nudged 2lb down the weights to a mark of 60, the top rating band for this race.
Drawn right in the middle of the pace horses, that should enable Thapa Vc to finish off his race strongly and hopefully his effort will be rewarded.