The Charlie Hills stable continue in excellent fettle and Menai (6.20) can give the yard further success in Windsor‘s opening 6f Maiden under Jamie Spencer. The son of Dark Angel cost 100,000 guineas at the sales and looked to have plenty of ability when finishing an excellent second on debut at Haydock last month. The selection had Richard Hannon’s Phantom Flipper in behind that day and can frank the form with the Richard Hannon colt, taken to get the better of he and stablemates Toledo and Torment accordingly.
Ten go to post for a competitive handicap over a mile and a quarter, with Roger Varian’s Go Sakhee (7.20) taken to defy a wide berth in stall ten under Ryan Moore. The selection was progressive last term, winning handicaps at both Ripon and Windsor, before finishing the campaign with an excellent second at Sandown in September. The gelding ought to be sharper for a decent reappearance three weeks ago at Leicester and can build on that to claim a 2nd career success at the track.
Richard Fahey suffered a disappointing weekend at Epsom with none of the six runners from the stable finding the frame however Paul Hanagan is reunited with his old boss at Thirsk and can bounce back aboard Mr Lupton (2.15) in the Yorkshire track’s opener. Most of the yard’s juveniles tend to improve for the run and, after an excellent second on debut at the track in May, can score at the second time of asking now upped in trip.
Stablemate Birkdale (2.30) can shed the maiden tag at Ayr with the Elnadim colt taken to land the opener under Tony Hamilton. The selection was well-backed for a traditionally warm maiden at the track last month, when third behind a smart pair of juveniles from the John Quinn and Kevin Ryan yard respectively. The selection finished up despite swerving left at the start and with the benefit of experience can make amends accordingly.
Shared Equity (5.30) has been well-backed for two warm handicaps at Doncaster and despite finishing third in both races over six and seven furlongs, can make amends under Graham Lee in the feature. The selection has long been touted as a highly-promising handicapper for the yard and was sent off favourite for both races since returning from a break of six months at Doncaster’s Lincoln meeting. The 4-y-o looked just as effective tackling seven furlongs last time out at York and despite a 3lb rise for those efforts, still appears ahead of the handicapper.
The form of the 2nd place finish of Martini Time (6.40) has already been franked and Mark Johnston’s filly can make it second time lucky in the opener at Pontefract. The Middleham handler’s juveniles have been particularly forward this term, as seen by Buratino’s 6l success in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Saturday, and the well-bred daughter of Pivotal looks the ideal type to build on last month’s debut under man-of-the-moment Silvestre De Sousa.
There are now just 201 days until Christmas and what better way to pay for a few presents early than by backing Aidan O’Brien’s colt Father Christmas (7.00) across the Irish Sea at Roscommon. The selection built on a promising debut last term when chasing home Ger Lyons’ well-backed favourite Sacrificial on his seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown and is entitled to build on that and should shed the maiden tag at the third attempt under the trainer’s son Joseph O’Brien.
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