The William Haggas yard have high hopes for Storm the Stars prior to his St Leger bid at Doncaster on Saturday, 7/2 for the final classic of the season with BetVictor, and the stable can kick-off the week in perfect style with Gravity Flow (2.20) fancied to make a winning debut under Pat Cosgrave at Windsor. The well-bred filly ticks plenty of boxes on paper and after costing connections’ €165,000 at the sales can go some way to re-paying her expensive price-tag at the likely expense of Henry Candy’s similarly well-bred filly Limonata.
John Gosden‘s Heroic Heart will be a likely favourite for the first division of the fillies’ maiden however Quick March (1.50) showed dramatic improvement from her debut when finishing third las time out at Goodwood and can make it third time lucky under Harry Bentley. The selection is a half-sister to connections’ very smart sprinter Mince and was travelling well before being hampered when last seen nine days ago. The daughter of Lawman is guaranteed to handle the extra cut in the ground and can score en-route to a likely step up in grade thereafter.
Cartago is another Gosden-inmate likely to be short in the betting in the Nursery over a mile but is instead overlooked for Secret Emotion (3.20) under Harry Bentley at the foot of the weights. The daughter of Dutch Art has shown little in three maidens thus far however should be seen in a much better light now up in trip and sporting a first-time tongue-tie.
Richard Hannon’s Dominate is a fascinating runner considering his market support last time out at Chepstow and is respected having tumbled down the weights but Dawn Catcher (3.50) should relish conditions and gets the nod for Geoffrey Deacon and excellent 3lb apprentice Tom Marquand. The 5-y-o won four times during last year’s campaign and built on her seasonal reappearance at Nottingham with an excellent third last time out at Ffos Las. The mare thrives at this time of year and with the yard going well can claim a fifth career success.
Michael Bell‘s yard remain in good form and his Rock of Max (4.50) can land the closing 3-y-o handicap under Jamie Spencer. The son of Royal Applause was well-supported for his handicap debut last month at Wolverhampton and travelled well before being unable to quicken in the closing stages. It’s no surprise to see him stepped up in trip to a mile and a quarter and he can shed the maiden tag at the fifth time of asking.
Peter Chapple-Hyam‘s string remain in good nick and after making a winning handicap debut last week at Newcastle Sociopath (4.00) can follow-up under a 6lb penalty at Brighton. The selection hinted at ability in three maidens before winning impressively seven days ago and can go in again under retained rider Jim Crowley.
Gordon Elliott sends three runners to Perth and all three boast excellent claims under Richard Johnson. Bouggietopieces will be fancied by many to give weight and a beating to his eight rivals in the opener however at his tissue price of 9/2 with BetVictor Shine a Diamond (2.10) looks the each-way alternative under Graham Watters. Lucinda Russell’s 7-y-o scored last term from marks of 92 and 98 at Musselburgh and Hexham respectively and from a revised mark of 89 looks well-handicapped to score for a third time over fences.
Johnson partners another Irish raider in the feature handicap chase over the minimum trip taking the leg-up on Shark Hanlon’s It’s All an Act who should be much better-suited going the other way round after jumping violently out to his right last time out at Newton-Abbot. Going right-handed should suit the gelding however that is taken on trust and preference lay instead with Rose Dobbin’s Robin’s Command (3.10) under Craig Nichol. The front-runner scored three times at the track last term, all under Nichol, and after a nice spin round over hurdles last time out should be stripped-fitter to go well around his beloved track once more.
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