Saturday tips: Ross Millar has one more fancy after two winners

Given the regard in which the John and Thady Gosden yard clearly hold Publish, I believed it was significant that Bow Echo was so well supported ahead of their clash in the Listed Ascendant Stakes at Haydock this month. The strong support, which eventually saw Bow Echo sent off the 5-6 favourite, was well justified as he produced a powerful final furlong to win by a length. 

Theoretically, this Group Two contest should represent a further step up in class, but I don’t see this as being any tougher than his last assignment. The stiffer track should play to his strengths, and at the general 13-8 on offer, I rate him a strong fancy. 

Selection: Bow Echo.

If you’ve read this column for any period of time, you’ll know I have no issue forgiving a horse one poor run. I was bitterly disappointed that True Love was not able to show her true form in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes on her latest start. She didn’t travel with her usual zest and then hung in the closing stages, when already beaten. 

Racecourse vets reported her to be “mildly lame on her right fore” after the race and I’m more than happy to class that as a below-par effort. 

Everything she’d shown to that point, most notably when trouncing the colts in the GAIN Railway Stakes, mark her down as a very smart filly. I rate her the best filly in this field and despite her latest defeat, I’m staggered she’s not favourite. If she's back to her best, she’ll win this and, quite possibly, in dazzling fashion. 

Selection: True Love.

With Gstaad a surprising omission at the final declaration stage, this suddenly looks a lot more competitive. 

Wise Approach carries plenty of experience into this, as well as a decent level of form, but he’s the type of favourite I personally like to oppose; he has recorded just two wins from five starts and I question whether a stiff six furlongs will play to his strengths. 

Instead, I’ll take a chance on the once-raced maiden, The Publican’s Son. He was marked up as a ‘Winner In Waiting’ after making an eye-catching debut in the Group Three Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh in August. Slowly away, he was required to switch around the field before producing a promising turn of foot, eventually finishing runner-up. 

The winner, Mission Control, was a shade disappointing in the Flying Childers on his next start but he possibly wasn’t at his best over that five-furlong trip. 

This is, of course, a serious question for Joseph O’Brien's colt on just his second start, but I’m not sure this is a vintage renewal of the Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes and, providing the rain stays away, he might be capable of surprising his more experienced rivals. 

Selection: The Publican’s Son (each-way). 

Watch: Danny Archer's six names to note on Saturday!

Touleen is a strong favourite for the BoyleSports Home Of Early Payout Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday and with good reason. She looked exciting on her debut at Newbury before dazzling at Leicester, when winning under a penalty from the highly regarded Zanthos, who re-opposes.

I’ve backed her for the Betfred 1000 Guineas and I’m sure she’s the real deal. But at 6-4, I think she’s simply too short on this occasion.

Zanthos was far too free at Leicester and the fact the Crisfords are back for another crack suggest they feel she didn’t give her true running last time. I would expect her to finish a lot closer.

However, my selection is Awaken, who looks a knockout each-way alternative to Touleen at the 12-1 on offer.

She ran the first poor race of her career at Salisbury last time when failing to cope with heavy ground in the Group Three Dick Poole, having been sent off favourite.

She was also subject of an extremely rare indecisive ride from the excellent Billy Loughnane, who seemed unsure which side of the track he wanted to be on.

Put a line through that run and her form reads like the best in the field.

On her second start she was a strong finishing runner-up to Venetian Sun in the Albany at Royal Ascot before shedding her maiden tag on her third start at Leicester, where she won in cosy fashion. Catching The Moon was a length away in second and has since won the Firth Of Clyde while third placed Lady Britain has since won twice.

Given that this trip should might also bring about further improvement - her dam Circulation was a winner over ten- furlongs - and given that trainer George Boughey is operating at an excellent 24% strike rate, I think her double-figure price is too good to ignore, with the ten-runner field providing the each-way angle.

Into The Sky enhanced his reputation despite having to settle for second behind the Charlie Appleby-trained Words Of Truth in the Group Two Mill Reef at Newbury last Saturday. 

As on his debut, he showed tremendous early speed, but unlike his debut he was unable to sustain his effort on rain-softened ground (officially described as good to soft, though personally I’d wager it rode much slower).

In the build up, trainer Jim Boyle had voiced concern over the possibility of soft ground for his sizeable and as yet unfurnished son of Starman, and I think this lack of physical maturity rather than lack of stamina or talent was his undoing.

He also hung away to his left with jockey Pat Cosgrave slow to switch his stick through to his correct hand.

He's an exciting prospect and I’ve had a small ante-post bet on him for next year's Commonwealth Cup for which he is available at 25/1. He will not meet his Newbury conqueror, as he has already been gelded. 

I imagine he isn’t going to be top class but I liked the performance delivered by Black Star Boy at Newbury on Friday.

Trained by Ed Walker, the son of leading first season sire Starman had failed to get involved on his debut at Windsor but took a sizeable step forward on his second start.

Despite getting a small bump from his neighbour as they exited the stalls, he started smartly and showed good early speed, arguably racing a touch too keenly.

He was always in a good position under Tom Marquand and was able to quicken to the front with minimal effort before lengthening clear when asked. He was alone in front for nearly two-furlongs and I was particularly taken by his attitude, as he ran straight and balanced in the manner of a colt with far more experience.

Black Star Boy looks well capable of winning again under a penalty and should be capable of adding plenty more wins to his CV.