AIDAN O'Brien's decision to duck the 2000 Guineas with WASHINGTON DC can be vindicated by victory in the Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes at Ascot.

The Royal Ascot-winning colt was shortlisted by Ballydoyle for the Newmarket Classic but he instead rocks up for this Group Three over six furlongs and is today's nap selection under Ryan Moore.

Washington DC is an absolute ball of speed, so O'Brien is presumably a shade wary about him getting a mile in top-class company at this stage of his development.

The Pavilion Stakes will be an entirely different ball game, though, and is a race that should ideally suit.

Runner-up to none other than Air Force Blue in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in August, having previously landed the Windsor Castle at Ascot, the Zoffany colt looked a picture of health on his Dundalk return.

Washington DC won a seven-furlong Listed event with supreme authority, which was no mean feat as runner-up Alphonsus and third-placed Most Beautiful are held in some esteem.

Gifted Master is a serious rival from Hugo Palmer's stables but it will be difficult giving the Ballydoyle resident 3lb – especially as that one has always been viewed upon a seven-furlong specialist, despite having won over six at Newmarket a fortnight ago.

The Group Three Longines Sagaro Stakes looks tough but it may pay to side with venerable stayer CLEVER COOKIE, with Moore on board again.

Peter Niven's inmate must reverse form with Frosty Berry, against whom he missed out by a neck at Nottingham earlier this month, but the selection will now have fitness on his side.

That fact alone could also help Clever Cookie edge past Champions Day nemesis Flying Officer, who looks a thoroughly progressive horse but has not raced for 193 days.

His chances are also hardly diminished by Moore receiving the leg-up on Niven's streetwise warrior.

JUST BE LUCKY can further advertise the training skills of Ivan Furtado by winning the Betfred Supports The NRC Handicap at Pontefract.

The Irish recruit is only just getting the hang of things since his switch to Furtado but his recent third over eight-and-a-half furlongs at Windsor was much more like it.

There are races to be won off a mark of 70 with this four-year-old son of Intense Focus, who has Martin Harley up top.

Facile Brighton scorer BLACK CAESAR can make short shrift of a 6lb penalty in the totetrifecta Pick The 1, 2, 3 Handicap back at the seaside track, while all-weather regular WEDGEWOOD ESTATES is due a change of fortune in division two of the Recticel Insulation Perfect Handicap at Wolverhampton.

Meanwhile, it is difficult to see past CUE CARD in the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

Colin Tizzard's ace soars above these rivals on the form figures and can seize the day following the withdrawal of the injured Don Cossack.

Djakadam and Don Poli are solid horses but they were stuffed out of sight when Cue Card won so well at Aintree and it is hard to envisage Willie Mullins' duo reversing the form.

Mullins can at least get in on the act by saddling BELLSHILL to victory in the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle.

The Grade One-winning six-year-old was disappointing in the Supreme at Cheltenham but that was clearly an inferior stamina test.

And though he finished a neck second to Ballyoptic in the Sefton at Aintree, the rest of the field was convincingly outmanoeuvred on his first stab over three miles since moving to Ireland. He remains a very exciting prospect and should win well.

Some interesting sorts go to post for the attheraces.com Champion INH Flat Race – none more so than the unbeaten ASPEN COLORADO, who intentionally swerved Cheltenham and Aintree with this in mind.