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TODAY and tomorrow are when the flat season really hit a peak high for all generations of horses from juveniles, through handicapper and older group horses with the Champions Day meeting at Ascot following on further down the line.

For betting purposes it is the Cambridgeshire Handicap (3.40) at Newmarket that will take centre stage this afternoon and there is little doubt if there is a group class horse lurking in a handicap that Greek Order is that charge having raced just the five times in his career, and off a mark of 85 easing home by four-and-a-half lengths off 85 in a class three handicap at Newbury.

A 10lbs rise in the weights obviously requires a lot more, but he remains unexposed. As a betting proposition though I am quite happy for the three-year-old to win at around 4/1 and miss out. But in a field of 35 runners the call has to be to find an each-way play with winners in the past 10 years coming home at prices ranging between 9/2 and 50/1 and with the last three winners returning at 40/1, 40/1 and 25/1.

The key to this race can sometimes be finding where the pace is, but in this year’s field there seems to be a really good spread of speed across the breadth of the track.

Last year’s hero, Majestic, has to run off an 8lbs higher mark, but he will have conditions massively in his favour from a good draw out on one wing. I could name 10 other entries that I feel have outstanding claims and possibly not hit the first five home, but that only enhances how competitive a cavalry charge this is.

So with the each-way terms on offer, some bookmakers are offering up to eight places, it makes sense for me to take two horses, one drawn on either side of the track. 

So first of all drawn in a single figure box and recognising the fact that there are so many places up for grabs I am going to put forward last year’s 12^thGEREMIA, when beaten a shade over six lengths and now 2lbs lower in the weights. This ultra-tough five-year-old has the mark of Jim Goldie written all over him as he is so versatile from a mile up to two miles and as with all of Jim’s team he is a horse that is as genuine as honest as you can find in the racing world.

He is drawn in box number seven and his price available as I pen this piece of around 100/1 which allows us to have another stab at this great handicap with an entry on the other side of the track, in the form of the 66/1 shot EILEAN DUBH. Last a winner off 92 at Hamilton over an extended mile, I was particularly taken by his run behind Ropey Guest at York when off just an even gallop he was badly outpaced two furlongs out, but then rallied to such an extent from the distance that he was only beaten four lengths and closing at the finishing line.

There will be no such problems about having a pace to aim at here and this son of Vadamos won’t mind the drying ground and the added plus is that he will run off a mark a race an event where luck in running will also play a major part in proceedings.

With three other group events on the card it really is a fabulous afternoon of horse racing action and in those three races I will be having a major bet at around the 14/1 mark on the Roger Varian trained DEFIANCE in the Royal Lodge Stakes which kick starts the card at Headquarters at 1.50.

I was at Sandown Park when this son of Camelot made his debut and despite running green early on, he really knuckled down to land his career debut from Caviar Heights who since gone on to win his maiden.

The following Cheveley Park Stakes at 2.25 looks a really good renewal and plenty will centre on Relief Rally, winner of four of her five starts including the Lowther Stakes last time out at York. I think that Soprano is better than she showed in both the Dick Poole and Sweet Solera Stakes and she is a big danger, but the better bet could well be SACRED ANGEL, who didn’t seem well suited to the deep ground in the Prix Morny at Deauville last time out, and back on a sound surface I think that the daughter of Dark Angel will outrun her double figure odds currently on offer.

The seven-furlong handicap that book ends the card at 5.25 has a smaller than anticipated field of just 10. Bless Him will adore the conditions and could get a nice tow into the event, but I think that 20/1 shot BASS PLAYER is too big in the market place. Rated as high of 103 as a three-year-old, he didn’t race as a juvenile, but is now down to a mark of just 88, but a fast run race at this trip will be right up his street as long as David Egan can find some cover with this four-year-old.

Away from Newmarket there is some cracking racing up and down the country and despite the drying weather, there will be at least some give in the ground at Haydock Park (heavy soft in places), but it will make the ground clawing at best and that should suit both SILKY WILKIE off top weight in the spring handicap at 2.40, who has his easiest task for a long time this season. While old boy GULLIVER who ran very flat in the Ayr Gold Cup seven days ago has a chance to make amends in the six-furlong event due off at 3.15.

Finally, the Arc de Triomphe takes place at Longchamp tomorrow at 3.05 and again the ground will be a main marker here with the possibility of turf just on the soft side of good but with a warm and drying forecast. If there is some give in the ground I fancy that Prix Niel runner-up FEED THE FLAME should reverse form with his conqueror Fantastic Moon. That day the slow pace counted against him, but on slightly slower ground and with a faster pace on I think he will step up here and take care of Ace Impact and Hukum.