Matt Brocklebank has the Thursday selections with his Nap in action at Chelmsford.
COMEDIAN LEADER was a massive eyecatcher when runner-up at Lingfield late last month, meeting trouble at a key time and never near than at the line. She’s been nudged up a couple of pounds in the weights for her troubles but remains on the right side of the assessor, having won off 8lb higher at Kempton earlier this year, and he looks well worth backing as he’s got decent course form here too.
MOLINARI has gone backwards in two public outings since a relatively encouraging run when fourth at Newcastle in May but the ground has been testing on each occasion and he should be much more at home on the prevailing ground in West Yorkshire. In fact, his record over 10 furlongs on a sound surface is really quite encouraging and, eased another 2lb in the weight since the last run at the end of August, he’s now fully 13lb lower than when last success. He could be worth chancing under top weight in this moderate-looking affair.
CHESHIRE DANCER skipped an engagement at Yarmouth on Wednesday due to good to firm ground but conditions shouldn't be quite so lively on day one up at Ayr and Hugo Palmer's representative is backed to come out on top in the 10-furlong fillies' handicap. She has been consistent and largely progressive from the outset but stepped up again when tackling this trip for the first time at Sandown late last month, just bumping into a well-treated rival from the William Haggas yard. She's been raised 3lb for that but can continue to progress into the autumn of her three-year-old campaign and definitely looks one to keep on side at present.
George Boughey is doing very well with the horses he's picked up from Sheikh Obaid, at the expense of Roger Varian of course, and it's not hard to see GRACIOUS LEADER adding to the tally. The horse is 0-3 on turf but those maiden/novice efforts are probably best ignored given the improvement he's made once sent handicapping on the all-weather, winning at Lingfield and last seen finishing third – beaten just a length – over this mile trip at Kempton. There could be a fair bit more to come from him, with a first-time tongue-tie enlisted on Wednesday another potential source of improvement.
Some really competitive stuff on day two at Ayr and the Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes looks a decent race for a bet as the two quality older horses at the top have a little bit to prove now. The three-year-old challenge is strong and WOODHAY WONDER gets my vote. She won three times at two and has continued to progress this season, running fine races in defeat in quality handicaps over five furlongs at Ascot the last twice. The margin (half a furlong) step up in trip on this similarly stiff track looks in her favour, together with the prevailing conditions, and you just cannot fault this filly’s consistency. I’m pretty convinced there’s more to come from her.
Plenty in with chances in Newbury's seven-furlong nursery but GLORYOUS makes plenty of appeal with Oisin Murphy taking over from William Carson in the saddle. Rod Millman’s filly left her low-key debut run well behind when second in a Salisbury maiden last month and although subsequently disappointing in a novice event at Ffos Las, she looked to completely hate the heavy ground on that occasion. An opening mark of 74 seems fair based on the middle of her three runs and getting back on a sound surface is a major plus.
Hopefully it can be a case of third time lucky for JUGGERNAUT in a Newton Abbot handicap as he returns to the track on Thursday afternoon. Anthony Honeyball’s lightly-raced horse was denied a clear run at a key time on handicap debut in July, finishing a fair fifth in the end, and was in the process of running a big race before a mistake two-out looked to cost him dearly last month. There’s little or no early pace in this field so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Sam Twiston-Davies elected to make it on Juggernaut and if his hurdling holds up late on then he’s going to take some passing.
John Butler’s horses are in decent nick and JACK SPAROWE has crept down to a workable mark, looking on the verge of a return to winning ways when a close fourth at Newcastle earlier this month. Successful at this track over a similar trip 12 months ago, there’s plenty to like especially if the recent run – his first outing for 69 days – sharpens the horse up a bit physically.
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