Simon Holt is backing Librisa Breeze to resume winning ways at Newbury and he has two more selections for Saturday's racing.
Recommended Bets: Newbury, Ripon
2pts win Librisa Breeze in 3.35 Newbury at 7/2
LIBRISA BREEZE has been a good friend to this column in the past and is poised to strike winning form in Saturday's Group Two Ladyswood Stud Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.
Second in this race to Massaat last year after which he took the Champions Sprint at Ascot, Dean Ivory's stable-star again looks to be returning to his best following a running-on fourth behind Polydream in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville just under a fortnight ago.
That race, in which James Garfield was pipped close home, seemed to favour prominent racers and both The Tin Man (third) and Librisa Breeze, who seems equally effective at both six and seven furlongs, did well in the circumstances.
The effort should have put the selection spot on in his attempt to go one better this time with Sir Dancealot, past winner Breton Rock and the three-year-old Gustav Klimt likely dangers.
The first named has also provided us with a couple of wins and it was very exciting to see David Elsworth’s handsome gelding overcome desperate luck in running to get up close home in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood last time when Breton Rock (fourth in this race last year and successful in 2014) was a very close third.
However, this test demands another step forward from Sir Dancealot as he carries a 3lb penalty for that victory here and is officially rated the same as Librisa Breeze.
Gustav Klimt boasts Group One form having finished a close fourth in the Sussex Stakes last time after a third in the Irish Guineas and second in the St James's Palace Stakes earlier in the season. This is his first try at seven furlongs since his two-year-old campaign and the Aidan O'Brien runners in Britain this season have not been so successful as in the past.
Earlier, ALGOMETER is fancied to gain a third course win in the Group Three Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes.
Like Librisa Breeze, the David Simcock-trained grey signalled a return to winning form was imminent when staying on strongly behind Marmelo in France last time, in the Prix Maurice de Nieull at Longchamp.
This course and distance looks highly suitable for Jim Crowley's mount whose last victory came over a mile and three furlongs here in September, 2016 (beating Dartmouth) since when he has been lightly raced.
Hamada, raised in class by Charlie Appleby after three handicap wins this season and the highly regarded Raymond Tusk, up in trip after his Hamilton (1m3f) win last month, are the likely threats along with Dal Harraild who, while looking a bit exposed now, wasn't disgraced when fourth (beaten about eight lengths) to Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup.
At Ripon, most of the fancied runners in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap have been drawn in low-numbered stalls (the far side) so, unless there is a distinct track bias, that is the likely source of the winner.
Course specialist Pipers Note (second last year and in grand form again), Spring Loaded, Growl and Reputation are all drawn close together but so is last year's third SHANGHAI GLORY who led them home on the less favoured near (stands) side 12 months ago and now runs off a 4lb lower mark.
In truth, the five-year-old can be a little inconsistent but last week's second to Sea Fox over seven furlongs, which probably stretches him, at Newmarket bodes well for another big run from stall two under Luke Morris.