Excellent flat action from Haydock and Goodwood is the highlight of today’s action and Storm the Stars (4.05) taken to land the feature Cocked Hat Stakes for William Haggas and Pat Cosgrave at the latter. The selection boasts some of best best juvenile form on offer having chased home Aloft in a warm maiden at Newmarket, before similarly chasing home Golden Horne, the 2/1 Derby favourite with BetVictor, subsequently at Nottingham.
He shed the maiden tag at the fourth time of asking at Leicester and put his best foot forward last time out at Chester when an unlucky loser in the Chester Vase under Franny Norton. The selection is 50/1 with BetVictor for the Derby in a fortnight at Epsom but will likely shorten further should the colt win well on the downs. Any further rain should aid the chances of Ed Dunlop’s Prince Gagarin, likewise Mr Singh, who is a fascinating runner bidding to give trainer John Gosden further success after winning three of the last six renewals.
The Amanda Perrett yard have made an excellent start to the campaign and Ryan Moore is an eye-catching jockey booking for Spacelab (4.35) in the fillies’ handicap over a mile and a half. The well-bred daughter of Champs Elysees sprang a surprise on debut winning at 20/1 under James Doyle at Lingfield and was well-backed to follow-up on her handicap debut at Goodwood. Despite being a beaten favourite that day the form of that run has worked out particularly well (the 1st, 3rd and 4th winning subsequently) and she should remain competitive from a 6lb higher mark.
Moore partners Ashpan Sam (5.10) in the competitive 6f handicap and whilst his recent form figures of 80500 appear far from promising, delving deeper into his form tells a much different story. The selection was second in the corresponding race last term from just a 2lb higher mark, when bumping into Robert Cowell’s subsequent Stewards’ Cup winner Intrinsic. The 6-y-o followed his second in this race last year winning a competitive handicap on derby day at Epsom and with the handicapper offering some respite John Spearing’s charge is a confident selection to reward each-way support at the very least.
At Haydock, Ed Walker’s Ghalib (3.05) should complete the hat-trick after making a mockery of his mark last week in a competitive 6f Handicap. The colt has now won impressively at both Kempton and Salisbury and despite being 13lb higher for those efforts is clearly thriving at present and can score once more under George Baker.
Richard Guest’s stable remain in tremendous form and Roayh (4.35) can give the yard further success in this evening’s opener at Pontefract. The selection bounced back to form winning a soft ground handicap at Musselburgh just ten days ago, coming clear in the closing stages under Connor Beasley. Apprentice Jordan Mason off-sets five of the 6lb penalty for that success and he looks well-treated to go in again at ‘Ponte Carlo.’
Ginn in the Inn (7.30) was a beaten favourite when chasing home Mark Johnston’s Brocklesby winner Ravenhoe in a 2-y-o Conditions Stakes at Newcastle however Richard Fahey’s colt is taken to reverse the form under George Chaloner. The selection made a winning debut last month at Leicester, eased down in the closing stages, and was sent off a well-backed favourite when unable to reel-in the Johnston-inmate last time out over the minimum trip. The step up in trip should see him return to winning ways however and he strikes as the ideal type to improve further as the season progresses.
Lough Kent (6.50) was a winner for the column on Wednesday and can follow-up under a penalty in the handicap chase over an extended two and a half miles at Worcester. Nicky Henderson’s 6-y-o was always bred to be a chaser and excelled on his debut over the larger obstacles, winning by 15l at Warwick under Nico De Boinville. The step up in trip should suit and he is a confident selection to score for a second time inside three days under De Boinville once more.
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