Stratum was an impressive winner of the £100,000 2m Handicap at Newbury and Willie Mullins’ five-year-old was cut to 6/1 (from 12s) with BetVictor for the Ebor. Do note the weights for next month’s valuable York handicap are released later in the week and Tony Bloom’s progressive stayer looks sure to take a big hike up the weights.
Sea Of Class – like Stratum – did us a favour at the weekend and William Haggas’s Irish Oaks winner is 16/1 with BetVictor from 40s for the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October.
In the opener at Ayr this afternoon Axe Axelrod (1.30) can go one better than when a beaten odds on favourite at Hamilton – albeit in a four-runner race – on debut. The colt was doing all his best work late on for Paul Hanagan last month and he receives 7lbs from previous winner Kuwait Station who beat just one home in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
I thought Glasses Up (4.40) was a ready winner over today’s 10f trip here two weeks ago and hope to see him follow up from a 4lbs higher mark. Paddy Mathers keeps the ride on this lightly-raced gelding who has won half of his four career starts to date.
There are showers forecast and Question Of Faith will appreciate any significant rain, but preference is for Akamento (5.10) who can go well especially if getting an uncontested lead. The selection finished runner up at Chester last time from a 1lb lower mark and the hope is that trainer R Mike Smith has a good afternoon at his local track.
A market move for Noah And The Ark would be worth noting in the opener at Cartmel but this looks a good opportunity for Lucca Lady (2.15) to break her maiden tag over timber. The mare won a Stratford Bumper back in October and has run well in defeat in all four starts over hurdles. Richard Johnson takes over in the saddle this afternoon.
Dear Sire makes his chase debut for Donald McCain and would have plenty in hand on today’s rivals on hurdling form. He is likely to be a very short price, however, and I feel the dual winning Irish pointer Applesandpierres (3.50) might be able to cause a bit of a shock.
The selection was a winner here on his penultimate start over hurdles and Adrian Heskin takes over on his return to fences for Sophie Leech.
Shake It Up (4.55) has a course record of 123 having won over fences here back in August from a 6lbs lower mark. That was the last time the 9-y-old was professionally ridden and he receives plenty of weight from the other principles.
Snowed In is ridden by Irish amateur jockey Liam Quinlan and a market move would be significant but Lord Fendale (5.25) was only beaten a neck by subsequent winner Tidal Watch last Sunday and can race off the same mark today.
In the fillies’ handicap at Windsor this evening I hope Life On Earth (7.40) can build on her Lingfield win from a 6lbs lower mark last time. The filly she beat last time (Trouble And Strife) has won her last two and she gave Sir Mark Prescott’s filly a stone when scoring last time.
James Doyle landed a treble at the Curragh on Saturday and he takes over in the saddle from Oisin Murphy who is suspended for a couple of days.
Robert Kingscote takes over on Whitehall (8.40) who keeps to a mile despite hinting that he might need a step up in trip at Newmarket last time. The gelding caught the eye when coming from the rear to score at Nottingham on his penultimate start. He will need a true gallop this evening and I hope Kingscote does not have his mount too far out of his ground.
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