Frank Hickey: Here’s who I’m going for on Friday at Galway and Goodwood

14:25 Goodwood

Threading should be clear favourite here, as she brings the strongest form to the table with her second in the Coronation Stakes behind Alpha Centauri standing head and shoulders above anything else her opponents have achieved.

She is trained by Mark Johnston, who has a cracking Goodwood record and she was an impressive winner of a maiden here last season, so the track holds no fear. She did disappoint last time at Newmarket but she has never performed well there in three attempts, while her form elsewhere is 1,1,1,2.

I will be bitterly disappointed if she doesn’t prove the best in this race.

15:00 Goodwood

Escobar rates a solid each-way selection with the five places available.

He was a useful 2-year-old before losing his way as a 3-year-old. He has seemed to be reinvigorated for the switch to David O’Meara’s yard with an eyecatching run behind Spanish City at Doncaster proceeding a bloodless victory at Haydock.

He was midfield in the Hunt Cup – but I don’t think Ascot his is track – before a really eye-catching second behind the very well-treated Tigre Du Terre at Sandown. His strong travelling nature should really suit a race like this and he has an excellent draw, so he should be able to get a nice position.

While I fear Seniority and Fire Brigade, I think Escobar will run a massive race.

19:55 Galway

Henry De Bromhead has won the last two runnings of this race and looks to hold really solid claims of landing the hat trick with A Rated.

He was a really decent over hurdles for Liam Kenny, for whom he won his first two chase starts before switching to Henry. On debut for Henry, A Rated ran a very creditable second behind Kemboy in a really competitive Punchestown festival handicap. He put in an excellent display of jumping from the front that day and those tactics can often pay dividends at Galway.

He has to overcome a poor effort at Wexford last time but he has been given a little break to freshen him up and he rates a solid each way play.

20:25 Galway

On The Go Again narrowly missed out on making the cut for the Galway Hurdle itself but can make amends by taking the consolation race.

He has improved hugely in the past year, going from a mark of 79 on the flat up to 108 and winning his opening handicap start over hurdles off mark of 124. He hasn’t run over hurdles since running in a Grade 3 hurdle in February and returns to hurdles off a mark of 134.

That would look very fair considering he has improved to a mark of 108 on the flat. Throw in that Davy Russell is booked and that Michael Mulvaney is having a brilliant season and everything seems in place for On The Go Again to run a screamer.