A decent midweek card at Salisbury this afternoon; Roger Charlton saddled the winner of the listed Upavon Stakes with a progressive 3-year-old filly Primevere back in 2011 and can follow up with Suffused (3.55) who has a similar upwardly mobile profile. The selection has won her last two starts including an effortless success over C&D last time, has a cracking draw in stall three and will appreciate the forecast good to firm ground.
It could be a good afternoon for jockey Paul Hanagan who partners Suffused and also the lightly-raced Khalaas (3.25) who steps up to a mile for the first time in the Pembroke Cup for William Haggas. The selection is likely to need a decent gallop, as he can be a touch keen, but Alkawan in the same colours as the selection likes to race prominently and can help set the race up for the Newmarket raider.
In the opening juvenile maiden expect to see a better run from Zapped representing the Richard Hannon yard whose father saddled the winner of the corresponding race three times in the last five years. Zapped was a beaten favourite at Leicester on debut but many of the yards representatives improve dramatically for their first start.
The nod, however, goes to Dark Shot (2.20) who ran a most promising race when fourth at Ascot on debut and gave every indication he would be tough to beat next time with that experience under his belt. Vibrant Chords represents Henry Candy who saddled the winner of this event with Twilight Son 12 months ago and this gelding ran an excellent race on debut over C&D going down by a short head to the Hannon-trained Steel Of Madrid.
It promises to be a warm and informative maiden with a market move for Zhui Feng of Amanda Perret on debut worth noting given this son of Invincible Spirit cost 340,000gns as a yearling and holds entries in a number of group races in the second half of the season.
It’s All An Act is an interesting Irish raider in the 2m Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot but preference is for Lisbon (2.40) who has the assistance of Tom Scudamore for the first time. The drying ground is a plus and I think he might have run in to one when runner up to Jack The Gent at Bangor last time.
Art Of War was always highly thought of in the Tom Dascombe yard but he completely lost his way and makes his hurdles debut for David Pipe in a first time visor. If the market spoke in his favour he might be worth supporting but he has never been quite the same horse since running a poor race at Royal Ascot last summer and a watching brief is advised unless the market suggests otherwise.
Evan Williams has not been able to find a buyer yet for Catcher On The Go who he bought for £23,000 after the horse won a Ffos Las Bumper back in May. He should be up to winning over timber before too long but Anomaly (3.10) returns after a 600 day lay-off for John Ferguson but was a 90+ rated horse at his best and stayed 12f on the level. The yard do very well with these well-bred ex flat recruits to the winter game and Anomaly wouldn’t have to be anything special to make a winning start over timber!
Dual point-to-point winner Ruddy Article receives 10lbs from Shark Hanlon’s Abolitionist in the Novices’ Chase over the best part of three-and-a-quarter-miles and Paul Nicholls‘ 7-year-old might have more to fear from Peter Bowen’s Henllan Harri (3.45) trained by Peter Bowen. The 7-y-old lost little in defeat on his chasing debut behind a decent novice of Tom George (Call Me Vic) at Southwell and he is entitled to come on for the experience. Sean Bowen takes off a valuable 3lbs and he is the recommendation in a decent prize for this time of year.
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