by Jack Milner
Excellent flat racing comes from Newmarket, Nottingham and Newcastle this afternoon and after landing the feature 6f Novice Stakes at the latter with Aktabantay last term, trainer Hugo Palmer is back with Gifted Master (2.10) in the opener. The selection made a winning debut when bolting-up at Newmarket's Craven meeting in April and chased home subsequent Coventry Stakes winner Buratino at the track on his first start over 6f last month. The gelding sets a fair standard and should possess enough class to get the better of Richard Fahey's Astley Hall and Karl Burke's Dressed in Fur.
An excellent renewal of the mile handicap brings eight runners to post and last year's winner Dance and Dance potentially well-treated after tumbling down the weights to last year's winning mark of 91. Ed Vaughan's charge is respected with Martin Lane replacing Kingscote in the plate however Richard Fahey's unexposed Manchestar (3.20) can land a nice prize, receiving weight all round. The 5-y-o creeps in at the foot of the weights and despite his age, has relatively few miles on the clock. The selection made an excellent return at Thirsk before disappointing last time out at Haydock but is taken to bounce back under regular partner Tony Hamilton.
Man of the moment Ryan Moore heads to HQ for a full book of rides and Baltic Brave (3.10) his best chance of a winner in the 7f Handicap. The selection was last seen finishing down the field over course and distance last month however with the Hughie Morrison stable in much better form and the handicapper taking off a further 3lb the selection can return to the scene of his last success; when winning well under Moore over C&D last term.
Moore can double-up aboard Richard Hannon's Holland Park (3.45) after a brace of third-place finishes in maiden company either side of the best part of a year. The selection was well-backed on debut when finishing third over course and distance last term and made a pleasing reappearance when finishing as part of a Richard Hannon 1-2-3 after an absence of almost a year a fortnight ago at Salisbury. He should progress accordingly for that pipe-opener and is taken to make it third time lucky this afternoon.
Roger Varian's hat-trick seeking Double Up has Moore's services for the feature 5f Handicap however at his forecast price of 3/1 is opposable in a very competitive renewal. Robert Cowell is dubbed the ‘sprint king' and aptly so after Goldream's Royal Ascot success and the trainer is double-handed with Equilibrium and Stunned and whilst both are respected, a chance is taken on lady luck smiling on Fairway to Heaven (4.20) for once. Michael Wigham's speedster was an unlucky loser last time out when getting no room whatsoever in the run however can bounce back under red-hot jockey Jim Crowley.
There's evening action from Newbury where Jonathan Portman's progressive Maybelater (8.30) is fancied to continue the stable's excellent form in the feature 10f Fillies' Handicap. The selection stayed on strongly to land a competitive contest last time out at Salisbury and should defy a 3lb rise accordingly under regular partner Pat Dobbs.
Portman's Magic Garden has since changed hands after an excellent third on debut on debut earlier this month at Pontefract, out-running her respective odds at 40/1, and will be fancied by many for the 6f Maiden, however is over-looked for Little Swift (7.00) likewise making her second career start. Qatar Racing's well-bred daughter of Kodiac was one place behind Magic Garden in that Pontefract maiden, staying on strongly in the closing stages once the penny had finally dropped late on. Oisin Murphy replaces Andrea Atzeni in the plate and she should improve enough to shed the maiden tag at the second attempt.
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