PALACE Pier bids to cement his position as the best older miler in Europe when he contests the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury at 3.35 — and there is little doubt that he is the most likely winner.

But if we get any more significant rain at the Berkshire track, he wouldn’t be an odds-on shot in my book. It means that the best betting path to take is an each-way play against him with the progressive TOP RANK.

The massive grey made great strides last season and continued on an upward curve with a smooth success in the Listed Doncaster Mile at the Lincoln meeting.

This of course is another significant step up in grade, but if PJ McDonald can settle him in behind the pace early on, his raking stride should certainly get him involved at the very least at the sharp end with the Gosden hot pot.

There are plenty of other good events at the track and the stand-out betting race is the London Gold Cup Handicap at 3.00, which has produced so many progressive runners down through the years.

But by far the best value in the ante-post markets this week is the Hugo Palmer-trained OZ LEGEND, who looks as though he will benefit from some dig in the ground despite his latest third having come on a fast surface at Windsor last month.

There is little doubt that the son of Australia wasn’t suited by the track that day, nor by a moderate pace, and if he gets a good end-to-end gallop here I suspect he could be way overpriced at about the 10/1 mark.

Of his rivals, you could pick out plenty that are dangers. But I would have the most regard for Newcastle novice winner and likely favourite Bay Bridge. He looked potentially smart when winning on the Tapeta last time out, and a rating of 90 may well underestimate his talent moving forward.

KING OTTOKAR is two from two at Newbury and was not really suited by the moderate pace in the Lincoln when he was a well-backed 17/2 shot.

This track obviously plays to his strengths and, back down to an attractive handicap mark of 97 and partnered by Oisin Murphy, he could well go close at about the 7/1 mark in the 4.45. 

The only other race I am interested in on the card is the Listed fillies’ event at 4.10, where there are several unexposed types worth a second look.

But the one I like most of all is TWISTED REALITY, who I know is very well regarded by trainer Ralph Beckett and is still engaged in the Cazoo Oaks. A clear-cut winner of a Nottingham maiden last November, an impressive success here would see her cut dramatically for that Epsom Classic.

She is currently available at about the 50/1 mark for that Epsom contest and we know that the trainer has a good record with three-year-old fillies.

Over at Thirsk, the ground should also have plenty of dig in it and my main bet at the Yorkshire track is going to be MABRE (nap) in the one-mile handicap at 2.10.

I was going to plump for Irv, who looked a huge eye-catcher at Pontefract last time out and looks fairly handicapped on a mark of 72 less Aiden Brookes’s 7lbs claim. But with more rain forecast, the selection may just have the edge off a mark of 70 under Shane Kelly — even though I will also be having a saver on the Micky Hammond runner.

He won off this mark at Newcastle last back end. And although his draw in 15 looks a disadvantage, as a definitive hold-up horse I fancy that the grey son of Make Believe can bide his time and weave his way through the pack from the home turn. 

Bottom-weight GOOD LUCK FOX looks something to bet on in the five-furlong handicap at 1.35 now that he gets his preferred soft ground.

He just wasn’t able to land the money when a well-backed favourite at Ripon last time out, and although this is a slightly better race I fancy he could prove too good at the weights for the likes of game Ripon winner Get Boosting and the old man of the party Duke of Firenze.

Finally, at Newmarket, the top-weight JUST FRANK (nb) may well be able to defy his welter burden in the big three-year-old handicap at 3.15.

The booking of 7lbs claimer Harry Burns looks a stroke of genius by trainer Les Eyre, which means that he is a full 10lbs lower than for his last outing when he ran way too freely in a similar event at Ascot. The added plus is that he is the only course winner in the line-up, and give in the ground won’t be a problem for him.