Glacius to strike Epsom gold

A spot in next year's Derby is on the line at Epsom on Sunday and Glacius could be the one to put himself in the Classic picture with victory in the Betfred Derby "Wild Card" EBF Conditions Stakes.

Hugo Palmer's son of Too Darn Hot created a big impression when downing some useful rivals on debut at Newmarket's July course in the summer and that was enough to see him pitched into Listed company at Haydock for his second start, where he was not disgraced in finishing fourth.

The winner that day was George Boughey's Bow Echo who is already one of the favourites for next year's 2000 Guineas, with the well-regarded Publish in second, and Glacius was travelling as well as any of them before getting a bump 400m out which checked his momentum.

He plugged on once re-finding his feet to be beaten only four lengths and that experience should stand him in good stead ahead of his latest test on the Surrey Downs.

Epsom will also stage the Geoff Lewis Apprentices' Derby Handicap where it may pay to stick with Gary Moore's track-and-trip winner Give It To Me Oj, who won a similar event on his return to the level earlier this month.

The useful dual-purpose performer is 7lb higher this time, but relished the twists and turns of Epsom when making all 17 days ago and won with enough in hand to suggest there's plenty left in the locker.

Elsewhere on the card, John and Thady Gosden's Gamrai is hard to oppose under a penalty in the Betfred 'Pickyourpunt' Novice Stakes after relishing the move up to 2000m when opening his account at Windsor last month.

There is a mammoth nine-race card on the all-weather at Newcastle where the class act could well be Karl Burke's Leading Dancer.

The daughter of Starman was a little over two lengths behind Fillies' Mile entrants Classic Cuvee and Amelia Earhart when an eye-catching third in a hot contest at Doncaster on debut and that outing should set the youngster up perfectly for a bold showing in the north east.

Burke has already excelled with one daughter of Starman this term (Venetian Sun) and Leading Dancer is fancied to waltz her way to victory in the Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter Fillies' Novice Stakes as she begins her own rise up the ranks.

The Spigot Lodge handler could quickly double up with newcomer Foxtrot Flyer in the Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter Lottery Novice Stakes, while George Boughey could be another handler set for a big afternoon at Gosforth Park.

The Newmarket trainer's Both Of Us has already romped to victory twice this month and a 6lb penalty looks unlikely to stop a quick-fire hat-trick being landed in the Arc £1Million Bonus Bigger Than Ever Handicap.

Boughey could also be the man to keep on side in the High Gosforth Park Golf Club Handicap, with Lincoln runner-up Oliver Show set to be suited by the return to 1400m off a mark just 1lb higher than his Doncaster near-miss at the beginning of the season. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

CURRAGH: Race 1 - 14.30 Cape Cod, Race 2 - 15.05 White Sand Beach, Race 3 - 15.37 Amelia Earhart, Race 4 - 16.12 Vespertilio, Race 5 - 16.47 Elly Bay, Race 6 - 17.22 Happy Pharoah, Race 7 - 17.57 Washington Street, Race 8 - 18.30 Wertpol.

EPSOM: Race 1 - 14.45 Galileo Island, Race 2 - 15.20 GLACIUS (NAP), Race 3 - 15.55 Gamrai, Race 4 - 16.30 Give It To Me Oj, Race 5 - 17.05 Orbaan, Race 6 - 17.40 Falmouth Lad, Race 7 - 18.15 Tokyo Joe.

FFOS LAS: Race 1 - 14.55 First Greyed, Race 2 - 15.30 Lavender Gold, Race 3 - 16.05 Supreme Diamond, Race 4 - 16.40 Change Of Fortune, Race 5 - 17.15 Guiteau, Race 6 - 17.50 Jedhi Knight, Race 7 - 18.25 My Clementine.

NEWCASTLE: Race 1 - 15.13 Alreet Cha, Race 2 - 15.45 Lir Speciale, Race 3 - 16.20 Both Of Us, Race 4 - 16.55 Per Contra, Race 5 - 17.30 Enemy, Race 6 - 18.05 Leading Dancer, Race 7 - 18.40 Foxtrot Flyer, Race 8 - 19.15 War Howl, Race 9 - 19.45 Oliver Show.