The ground is likely to be no better than good to soft for today’s excellent midweek Salisbury card which is highlighted by the Group 3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes for 2-y-olds. The race is invariably won by a decent sort and I was hugely impressed with Mayfair Lady (3.45) at York when she turned what looked a competitive 18-runner nursery into a 5L procession.
This is a huge step up in class for the Richard Fahey trained juvenile but she might cope with underfoot conditions better than La Rioja and the Hannon pair of Bahaarah and Whatdoiwantthatfor with the latter, who has won three of her last four starts, considered the biggest danger.
The classic generation have won seven of the last eight renewals of the Lochsong Fillies’ Stakes and they are taken to improve that record courtesy of another Fahey northern raider Bond’s Girl (4.15) who will appreciate underfoot conditions having put up, arguably, a career best performance when second at Newmarket on her penultimate start on soft ground.
Flying Officer (3.45) is impossible to oppose in the Persian Punch Stakes despite the fact that Punch’s trainer David Elsworth has saddled the winner of this race that honours his former stable star twice previously and saddles the progressive filly Melodious. The 3-year-old shaped as though she would appreciate the step up to 1m 6f when staying on over two furlongs shorter last time at York in the listed Galtres Stakes but is likely to have bitten off more than she can chew in the shape of the John Gosden 5-y-old.
Flying Officer has won first time out for the last three years and finished last year in the Group 2 Qipco Long Distance Cup on Champions Day. First time out looks the time to catch her and he must go close given his record fresh whilst all underfoot conditions come alike.
At Haydock, Goathland (2.00) can take the opening 12f maiden for Peter Chapple-Hyam who had three runners and three winners on Bank Holiday Monday. The selection wasn’t beaten far on debut at Newmarket last October and steps up in trip having run well in a couple of all-weather maidens at the beginning of the year. He is the brother of a 1m 5f winner and is taken to improve past Star Storm (rated 86) who I’m not convinced gets today’s mile-and-a-half trip.
I’m looking forward to seeing the racecourse debut of Tautology (3.00) for Charlie Appleby in the mile maiden. The Godolphin runner is beautifully bred and holds an entry in next year’s Derby. The market will give us valuable clues as to stable expectations first time out but connection s won the corresponding race two years ago and I expect him to go very close.
Richard Pankhurst (4.05) makes a belated seasonal reappearance in the Conditions’ Race over 7f; he looked decent when winning the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2014 and, whilst he should get further, it would be disappointing if he couldn’t make a winning reappearance although his breeding suggests he might need good ground to be seen at his best. He is currently 33/1 for the QEII at Ascot with BetVictor next month and is a fascinating runner.
Over jumps at Sedgefield and there have been shoots of recovery in the form of the Donald McCain stable in recent days and I am going to take a chance on Mr Burgees (4.25) dropping back in trip in the handicap chase. The 6-y-old has finished first and second in his two starts under Wayne Hutchinson and did win his maiden hurdle at Worcester over the minimum trip last August.
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