For some time, the name CAPE BYRON has stood out to me in Saturday's Wokingham Handicap as the horse loves Ascot and the drop in trip from seven furlongs to six could well unleash further improvement.
Roger Varian's gelding has run five times on the straight course, winning for the second time in last month's Victoria Cup in which he held on gamely from Kynren, Kaeso (winner since) and Raising Sand. Both the second and fourth ran well again in the Hunt Cup on Wednesday.
Cape Byron ran in last year's Hunt Cup and was in front two furlongs out, but he patently failed to last home whereas over the seven furlongs of the Victoria Cup he was clearly travelling easily well over a furlong out.
I think he has plenty of tactical speed and, while up 4lb for that latest victory, he should have no trouble dropping back to what is likely to be a fast-run six furlongs.
The dangers include last year's winner Bacchus who again tries to win this first time out and Foxtrot Lady, a progressive filly last season, who looked ready to resume winning ways soon in handicap company after a close-up fourth behind Dream Of Dreams in a Listed race at Windsor on her second start of the campaign last month.
Earlier, I hope the ground has dried out enough for MOMKIN in the Jersey Stakes.
Roger Charlton's colt was beaten at odds-on at Ffos-Las on good-to-soft last season (though there may have been other excuses as he didn't run again in 2018) but his reappearance second to Skardu in the Craven Stakes has been well enough boosted by the winner since.
Moreover, Momkin didn't get the best of runs that day and it was the same story in the 2000 Guineas next time before he finished 10th of the 19 runners.
Dropped to seven furlongs here, Andrea Atzeni should be able to ride this son of Bated Breath a little further forward and hopefully avoid traffic problems.
Of course, there will be much interest surrounding the reappearance of last year's Derby winner Masar in the Hardwicke Stakes but, after more than a year off the course, James Doyle's mount may find it hard to live with the race-fitness and staying power of DEFOE.
The selection has never run at Ascot, but saw out the stiff 12 furlongs of the Coronation Cup at Epsom last time in great style, heading Kew Gardens in the final half furlong and having the re-opposing Salouen (third), Communique (fourth), Lah Ti Dar (sixth) and Morando (eighth) all well behind.
Without Masar in the line-up, Defoe would have been a strong favourite here to follow up.
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