The Newmarket maiden won by last week’s Queen’s Vase winner Aloft from Derby third Storm The Stars last October looks pretty decent form on reflection; back in fifth at HQ was Barry Hills’ debutante Wardat Dubai (2.45) and she is taken to land the extended mile maiden at Beverley later today.
The selection disappointed over 7f on her reappearance at Wetherby back in April and the fat that she has been off the track for two months suggests that wasn’t her form. It is possible that she just hasn’t trained on but she looked in need of a stiffer test and I think connections will be keen to get a win next to her name for breeding purposes.
Thankstomonty looks sure to make this a decent test but I will be disappointed if Wardat Dubai doesn’t shed her maiden tag at the fourth attempt.
Miss Lucy Jane (3.15) has two career wins to her name and both were over today’s C&D the last from a 1lb lower mark than she runs off today. She has been slow to come to hand so far this term but seemed to be hitting top form when beaten only three lengths at Chester earlier in the month.
Recent course winners King Of The Celts and Tin Pan Alley are big dangers but the Richard Fahey trained filly can reward each way support (forecast 8/1 with BetVictor) in a competitive handicap.
Duke Of Yorkshire (4.15) looks to have been crying out for a return to 12f in recent starts and is 3lbs lower than when scoring at Catterick over 1m 6f back in 2013. Le Deluge and Voice From Above like to race prominently so it should be a decent test and Duran Fentiman again takes the ride for Tim Easterby.
There is a decent jumps card from Newton Abbot this evening and no surprise to see Handsome Horace (8.00) drop back in trip having looked a non-stayer on his chase debut over 3m 2f here last month. The son of Presenting is entitled to come on for that experience and jumped well until the petrol ran out; there looks more to come from the 5-y-old who represents the powerful yard of Philip Hobbs whose string have been hitting the bar of late.
Paul Nicholls suggested Dormello Mo (7.00) needs “a competitive race and something to aim at” when making a winning chase debut over slightly shorter last month but this 5-y-old should have no trouble with the extra distance and can gun down front-runner Sporting Boy who must give the selection 4lbs. The latter jumped well to make all over C&D last time and Noel Fehily is back in the saddle this evening.
In the opener I like the chances of Number One London (6.00) for Richard Johnson and Tim Vaughan. The 5-year-old won a two-mile handicap on the flat for Brian Meehan last summer and was always going to find Ludlow too sharp on his debut over timber last month. This step up in trip should suit although he was never one to rely on too much on the level.
At Leicester a market move for the Hills/Hanagan combination of Mithqaal would be interesting but Academy House (6.20) has been given plenty of time to get over a very promising debut run at Newmarket on Guineas’ weekend over the minimum trip and this extra furlong will certainly help.
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