Rachel Candelora's top tips for Wednesday: Executive Force has the power

Watching Tiger Roll dominate in the Grand National on Saturday was something special.

I can only liken it to American racing finally getting another Triple Crown winner in American Pharoah after a 37-year wait, but more so as horses such as Tiger Roll are not three-year-olds but old friends.

The Tiger Roll story is amazing. Bred to be a Flat champion, Godolphin didn’t want him and sold him; Michael O’Leary said he was a rat of a little things and he did not do what he was bought from Nigel Hawk to do – win a Fred Winter!

Well, a Triumph, National Hunt Chase, two Cross Country Chases and two Grand Nationals later he is a little horse that has become a national treasure – one recognised around the world.

My attention then turned to the Flat as at Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky 1,000 Guineas and Royal Ascot clues were abundant.

Former Brian Ellison-trained The Mackem Bullet won her first stakes race and now current trainer Wesley Ward has said that a potential return to her native shores may be next for the 1,000 Guineas.

With a win in the Grade Two Shakertown, the Joe Orseno-trained Imprimis is next going to take his shot in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes.

Imprimis beat the Ward-trained Bound For Nowhere who will most likely head to Churchill ahead of a third crack at the Royal Meeting in either the King’s Stand or Queen Anne.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, fresh off his first success in Dubai, is ready to have another go at the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Bulletin, who wired the field to win the Listed Palisades Turf Sprint.

For those who have bother to read this far, an early banker for Royal Ascot – the Queen Mary winner will be Lady Pauline.

This daughter of Munnings is the half-sister of Lady Aurelia and similarly began her career with a 9¾ length success at Keeneland, beating the boys, over 4 1/2f on dirt. Her sister could only win the corresponding event by 7½ lengths.

Ward says he does not know yet if Lady Pauline is better than Lady Aurelia, but says she is more precocious and her debut performance certainly hinted at that.

As for Wednesday, my focus will be on Lingfield and Kempton.

Sir Jamie won a division of this race last year (his most recent win) and has every chance of regaining the winning thread after his decent second at Kempton over a mile last time out when he was giving the winner Capofaro 17lb.

Well drawn in stall two, he should be able to sit a perfect trip in a race that lacks much depth.

Using a favourite angle of mine Garth Rockett is an out-and-out 7f specialist (all four wins have been over this distance) with two of his victories coming here at Lingfield, including on his penultimate start when ridden by Cieren Fallon.

With former trainer Brendan Powell having announced his retirement, the selection now joins the Mike Murphy yard for his first start off a near 2½ month break.

A competitive 6f claimer sees It Must Be Faith well in at the weights.

Outside of the weight advantage, It Must Be Faith reverts to his preferred 6f distance, a trip over which he has won five times.

Forgiving his latest effort at Southwell (his past two runs at the track have been poor) his previous form suggests he has a good chance here, including second in a similar claiming event three starts ago.

Given his lack of recent form, on paper, he is likely to good off a nice price here.

The feature race of the evening at Kempton sees Executive Force looking for his seventh success of the year, a victory which will put him in line for the £10,000 bonus as the winning-most All-Weather horse this All-Weather season.

This son of Sepoy is stepping up to 1m4f for the first time but he has shaped like the extra distance will suit and his pedigree is encouraging as he is related to Group three 1m6f winner Beautiful Romance out of a Group Three 12f winner.

Jockey Franny Norton, who has ridden him to five of his six victories this year gets back aboard and he is the only horse in the race who has raced this year so fitness will definitely be on his side.