Racing: Stable propositions for Flat profit

Horses to follow: The leading trainers on the level select the thoroughbreds most likely to succeed this season

The Flat season on turf starts at Doncaster tomorrow and to help punters through a maze of meetings that stretch through until the season concludes at the Yorkshire venue in November, leading trainers have picked their best prospects for the months ahead. The same exercise this time last year yielded these comments from Luca Cumani: "High-Rise is a nice three-year-old by High Estate who won a seven-furlong maiden at Doncaster. He is going to stay a mile and a half." Evidently - High-Rise scored at Pontefract (2-1) and Lingfield (15-8) before winning the Derby at odds of 20-1.

IAN BALDING

Al Azhar didn't race last year - he had a broken bone in his leg - but he's a real nice horse, going like a bomb. He'll be in handicaps initially, but is probably a Group-class horse at a mile and a half. Night Shot makes his return on Thursday. He won't quite be ready, but is a real decent handicapper who could go on to Group-class. For a miler, there's Pantar, third in the Cambridgeshire.

MICHAEL BELL

Regal Exit only ran twice last year for Mick Channon and was third in a maiden at York. I know Mick always liked him and he seems, in what we've seen so far, to be potentially high class - at 1m to 1m2f I'd say. Hoh No was a progressive horse last year and he seems to have strengthened up over the winter. I think he's on a pretty nice handicap mark.

JACK BERRY

I'll try and pick you out a couple of sharp two-year-olds. Swing Of The Tide is by Sri Pekan, and Susie's Flyer is a half-sister to Selhurstpark Flyer by a first-season sire, Frimaire - I'd never heard of it before. If you want two older horses, I'd go for Angie Baby and Iris May.

CLIVE BRITTAIN

Invader, by Danehill, ran a couple of times last year and showed a bit of promise, but he's done tremendously well through the winter and I don't think we've seen anything near the best of him. He's certainly a Group horse in the making. Thunder Sky ran some very good races and he could be another Group horse. I think Invader could get 1m2f/1m4f, and Thunder Sky, I'd be almost certain he'd get 1m4f.

HENRY CECIL

Royal Anthem did well last year, winning four times, including the Canadian International and the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot, and was also third in the King George. Hopefully, he will develop into a leading contender for the top 1m4f races, and it is not out of the question that he will be able to give a good account of himself over 1m2f. Killer Instinct ran once last year when second at Ascot. A highly rated colt by Zafonic, unfortunately he had a setback. He seems fine now and is a horse worthy of another chance. I feel he should be effective over 1m, but could stay at least 1m2f.

MICK CHANNON

I'm a little bit depleted you might say. Golden Silca would have to fly the flag. We'll go for the Fred Darling and make a decision about whether to go back to sprinting. Kondoty was very unlucky not to win first time out, then he ran when the ground was soft and we'd had a few problems with him, and it didn't really happen. He could get a mile and a half eventually. He's a nice horse of Sheikh Ahmed's, a bit of a character to train - a Mtoto horse - but he's got a bit of ability.

PETER CHAPPLE-HYAM

I'll go straight to the top: Commander Collins. He'll go to the Guineas first time out; a nice horse who was very weak last year and can only get better. The only worry is him getting 1m4f, because he's a half-brother to a Breeders' Cup Sprint winner, but he should get it, his brother got it. Brancaster won two races last year. He was very immature. We'll probably run in the Craven, then see what happens. Bienamado will be aimed at a Derby somewhere.

ROGER CHARLTON

Borgia [not to be confused with the German mare of the same name] is a 4yo filly from a late-maturing family. She is a half-sister to Tiutchev expected to come into her own in 1m4f-plus handicaps. Senure won a back- end maiden at Leicester, is now qualified for handicaps and should be suited by 1m to 1m2f.

PAUL COLE

Markan ran inexplicably badly at Ascot, and then he won nicely at Newbury. He's entered in the Classics. He's got no Group form as such, but he's a jolly nice horse and we've done well with Affirmed horses here. A horse who's in particularly good form this year is Carry The Flag. He got jarred up in the Italian Derby - and later in the season look out for Courteous.

LUCA CUMANI

For top quality, you'd better go for Kissogram. She won't run a lot, but when she runs she'll run very well - she's just going to have a few well-chosen targets, mostly towards the end of the season. For one less exposed, you could go for a horse called Silver Robin. He had one run, was second at Doncaster at the backend, finishing strongly. That was over 7f and he will be a 1m4f horse.

ED DUNLOP

Al Naba is by Mr Prospector out of Forest Flower, He was second at Newbury and then won a maiden here at Newmarket. He has been entered in all the Guineas - whether he will actually stay a mile, we will only know in time for the trials. He's got a lovely temperament. Date is by Cadeaux Genereux. He ran in a maiden at the July Meeting and finished third. A big, strong horse, who has done very well, he never ran again last year. The ground was very, very firm at the July Meeting, he jarred his knees and we put him away. He'd want cut in the ground.

JOHN DUNLOP

I suppose you'd better put in Mujahid, he's the champion two-year-old. We're pleased with the way he's gone so far. Obviously, the objective will be the Guineas. I would think a run beforehand and I would probably prefer the Craven. On paper, he needn't necessarily get the mile, purely on pedigree. But he won the Dewhurst by staying and it's a stiff seven furlongs there and an easier mile on the July course. Adnaan is a very well-bred 3yo by Nashwan, a half-brother to Hernando, and he won his last two last year like a nice, improving staying horse. He just could be a Derby horse.

TIM EASTERBY

Flanders and Pipalong have done well. Double Action would have a good chance of having a decent season. Jo Mell is in good form. I think he might just struggle if he gets into Group class, but the prize money is good in these big handicaps isn't it? With a gelding, that's what you look at. There's no good going for the glory and getting a little bit - you might as well go for the big one and get the money.

LES EYRE

We've a nice 3yo called Amaranth and a 4yo called Carambo. Carambo won at two, but was never right last year. She's been away home, come back and looks a million dollars. I just have a feeling she could be the horse of the yard this year. With Carambo you're talking 7f, good/good to soft ground, and with Amaranth 6f/7f.

JAMES FANSHAWE

Persiano looked quite progressive, then went wrong, but he's filled out from three to four. Musician is a Shirley Heights filly out of a tough mare called Rose Alto. This filly was pretty immature last year and has strengthened up quite a lot.

JOHN GOSDEN

Wishah won her only start, a maiden at Lingfield. She's been brought along steadily and will hopefully make up into a decent filly. She is in the Guineas, but whether that will come at the right time for her or not is another matter. Glamis was second in the Royal Lodge and third in the Grand Criterium in horrible ground. He's strengthened up and you're looking at middle-distance races with him, though stamina would be a question on the dam's side.

RICHARD HANNON

Wallace would be a pretty decent horse this year. Bahamian Bandit - I don't know whether to go handicap-wise with him or go a little better. Sailing Shoes will probably go at Easter too, for the Quail. There's three earlyish ones for you.

BARRY HILLS

Auction House will do very well. He probably won't run before the Guineas. I don't really see him getting much farther than a mile, that should be ideal for him. Hula Angel and Hasty Words were first and third in the Rockfel and they'll probably run straight away in the Guineas. I think there's more strength and depth in the 3yo fillies than in the colts, but Toto Caelo, Turaath, Elmutabaki and Twice (unraced, he's out of Bolas) are colts who could do well throughout the season, and I think Ras Shaikh could also do very well.

JOHN HILLS

Casino Royale is a half-brother to Crimson Tide. He's a late-maturing horse by Royal Academy and finished third in a maiden at Donny at the back end. He's got a bit of size and a lot of quality and is a horse I'm hoping can go places. The other one to keep a close eye on is a filly called Nicely, a 3yo by Bustino out of a half-sister to Terimon. She won what was not a particularly competitive maiden at the backend at Bath. If she comes through her prep then we might have a crack at something like the Cheshire Oaks. I'm not saying she's an Oaks filly, but I think she's a filly who could easily get into Listed races.

MARK JOHNSTON

Spirit Of Love: there have been comparisons with Double Trigger which are unrealistic - Double Trigger would have given him something in the region of 21/2 stone if they'd met in the Cesarewitch - but the interesting thing about Spirit Of Love is that he's only run twice at 2m and beyond, and on both occasions he won in a canter. There is the hope that he will be a considerably better horse when he goes over farther, and we've big hopes for him in the Cup races. Royal Rebel is still a maiden, He ran in two Listed races and a Group One; I still think very, very highly of him, and he'll come out and work his way through the ranks. We're still hoping that he'll climb his way back up to Group races.

BRIAN MEEHAN

Tumbleweed River, he goes for the 2,000 Guineas. He'll probably run first in the Greenham. A nice big horse by Thatching, he ran once last year and dead-heated for second at Ascot - got badly left. He's working very well. Tomba may run over a mile this year. He's very, very well and may have his first run in the Lockinge.

JEREMY NOSEDA

Snowy Range - unraced last year, beautifully-bred filly, good action. We hope that she'll win her share of races. Desert Knight - by Green Desert out of Green Leaf - unraced last year, a big, long-striding horse, still slightly backward. I'd be disappointed if he doesn't win a couple of races. Both should be suited by a mile, and might go a little farther.