Simon Holt best bets for Salisbury on Sunday

Recommended bets:

2pts win Positive in 3.25 Salisbury at 7/2

2pts win Jack D’Or in 4.30 Salisbury at 13/2

ITV's coverage of racing on Sundays has to be regarded as a big plus for the sport, and POSITIVE gets the thumbs up in Salisbury's Group Three AJN Steelstock Sovereign Stakes.

As the only three-year-old in the line-up, the son of Dutch Art receives a 7lb weight-for-age allowance, and wears blinkers for the first time after running acceptably on both starts this season.

Maybe connections think that Positive needs waking up a little after finishing sixth in the Group One Prix D'Ispahan at Chantilly last time, but he looked badly positioned that day turning for home on a course where making up ground can be difficult, and stayed on belatedly behind the high class Persian King.

Earlier, the Clive Cox-trained colt shaped pretty well on his comeback in a red-hot St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot where, while unable to match the front three Palace Pier, Pinatubo and Wichita, he kept on well again in the closing stages.

Clearly, this is a drop in class for the selection who was impressive on his racecourse debut at Salisbury last season before beating Kameko at Sandown, and if the headgear has a positive effect he could just be the one in a tight-looking, but decent quality, renewal.

Later on, the combination of a stiff course and dry ground may suit JACK D’OR in the AJN Steelstock Beckie Lawrence Handicap.

The Ed Walker-trained son of Ravens Pass was encountering soft going for the first time at Haydock last time and never looked happy before staying on into second behind the wide-margin winner Kaser.

The latter, much higher rated on the all-weather, won like a well-handicapped horse that day so Jack D’Or wasn’t disgraced and he shapes like a horse who will stay further.

Hopefully, the uphill finish here will see him reeling back rivals before going on to better things for his in-form yard.

Preview posted 1640 BST on 08/08/2020

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