Frankie Dettori kisses Enable
Frankie Dettori kisses Enable

Five things to look out for ahead of the 2018 racing Flat season


We're itching to get stuck into the Flat season here at sportinglife.com and have five key points to consider before the turf action begins on the level this weekend.

HOW DOES HE FOLLOW THAT?

Aidan O'Brien has spent most of his career setting records, but last year was something else. The master of Ballydoyle set a new world best for top-level winners, eclipsing the previous mark set by the late, great Bobby Frankel. So can he do even better this year? Derby favourite Saxon Warrior leads his ultra-strong Classic crop - remember only Enable stopped him having a clean sweep in 2017 - and if his older horses can play their part on the international stage, then who knows what could happen.

FRANKLY SPEAKING

The hype that surrounded the magnificent Frankel as a racehorse has nearly been matched by the chatter around his stud career. Cracksman is a shining light of his offspring to date, but he could still do with a European Classic winner, especially with his old foe Nathaniel flying high through Enable, among others. He will have plenty of chances, not least Expert Eye in the 2000 Guineas.

Expert Eye
Click on the image to back Expert Eye at 8/1 with Sky Bet for the 2000 Guineas

SILVESTRE FOR GOLD?

Silvestre de Sousa regained his champion jockey crown in real style in 2017, effectively winning eased down. Plenty of jockeys have different priorities, not least the big guns such as Messrs Moore and Dettori. So another title looks at the mercy of the still-underrated Brazilian.

STILL WILLING ENABLE

Enable's rise last year was extraordinary and really captured the imagination. Who would have thought she would win two Classics, the King George and Arc when she was beaten at Newbury at the beginning of the campaign? John Gosden's filly maintained her form superbly well and as a four-year-old should be even better, in theory anyway. Everyone wants to see her clash with stablemate Cracksman and the build-up when that happens will rival anything racing has been able to offer for many a year. But who will Frankie choose to ride?

Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2017 (via ITV Racing)

DON'T DISMISS DERMOT

By his standards, Dermot Weld was quiet last year, so the hope is he can return to be a player in the races that matter over the coming months. There remains no better handler of a thoroughbred, and with trusty ally Pat Smullen by his side, rule him out at your peril. The Frankel filly Contingent could just be the one to put the Rosewell House stable back in the headlines.

Click on the image of Dermot Weld to add horses, trainers and jockeys to your My Stable tracker

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