There is a decent midweek card at Goodwood this afternoon and Sir Mark Prescott will be hoping the ground continues to dry out for his progressive stayer St Michel (4.10) who has won both starts over today's 2m trip.
The selection is 7lbs higher than when scoring at Newmarket earlier in the month and the son of Sea The Stars is 20/1 for the Cesarewitch at BetVictor although he is always likely to be at his best on good or faster ground. Percy Veer has yet to win beyond 1.6f but ran a cracker when runner here in the marathon 2m5f Goodwood Stakes here last month and rates a big danger.
Seven Heavens (3.00) cannot be opposed in the 7f conditions event for John Gosden having created such a favourable impression on debut when beating Lockhead over 6f by a length at Ascot last month. The colt is entered in many of the top juvenile events at the end of the season and it will be disappointing if he can't give 4lbs to Mark Johnston's Shabeeh.
At Epsom no surprise to see Charlie Appleby step Act Of Freedom (2.00) up in trip to 7f for the first time on his handicap debut. The juvenile was doing all his best work at the end over 6f at Windsor last time and the grey, already gelded, can break his maiden at the fourth time of asking.
At Hamilton Eez Eh (4.35) can go one better than when runner up at Carlisle last time in first time cheek-pieces running off a 1lbs lower mark. The classic generation have won all three renewals of this 12f handicap and the only other 3-y-old in the field Calliope might be the danger having scored on her first start for Ken Slack having been bought out of Andrew Balding's yard earlier in the year.
There's a good jumps card at Worcester this evening where I expect to see Pawn Star (4.25) make a winning start over fences having won a handicap hurdle on his last start back in May. He begins his chasing career off a 5lbs higher mark but connections always felt he had the scope to make into a decent chaser in time. Emma Lavelle has her string in excellent for and first time out is often the time to catch her inmates. Four of the selection's five rivals won last time out, however, and this is an excellent and should be an informative race for the time of year.
It is possible that Paul Maloney overdid the waiting tactics on Canicallyouback (5.00) on his hat-trick bid last time and he can run off the same mark this afternoon; if you believe, as I do, he was the best horse in the race one last time one could argue he is a winner without a penalty.
Moonday Sun (7.00) improved in the first-time hood to win a maiden hurdle and is clearly improving as he gains more experience over timber. He can give the father and son combination of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies a winner in handicap company for the first time.
Nice Thoughts is likely to be all the rage to go one better for David Pipe in the finale having finished runner up at Ffos Las on his latest start but Barwick (7.30) shaped with promise on his first start over hurdles at Newton Abbot and is entitled to improve for that effort.
At Ripon Tanaasub is likely to be all the rage for the 6f sprint but Cersei (7.15) is an improving filly who ran well when encountering fast ground for the first time at Windsor and Confident Kid (7.45) can take the 10f maiden for Godolphin wearing cheek-pieces for the first time.
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