Connections reported yesterday that Lady Aurelia had bled during her run in the Cheveley Park Stakes on Saturday and this might have been the reason why she emptied in the final furlong. She is due back at Royal Ascot next summer in the Commonwealth Cup and remains 6/1 at BetVictor with Caravaggio the 11/4 favourite.
Good ground forecast for the flat card at Bath this afternoon. In the Mile handicap Candesta is only 3lbs higher than when scoring at Beverley earlier in the month and must go close for Julia Feilden but the vote goes to Indigo (2.40) for Lamboun trainer whose yard had a nice winner at Ffos Las last week.
The selection has never won on turf but has scored twice on the all-weather and her grass mark is subsequently 11lbs lower. The filly has bits of turf form which suggest she is fairly treated and she has the assistance of regular pilot Josephine Gordon in the plate.
Roger Varian first blinkers for the first-time on the lightly-raced Daily News (3.10) who makes his handicap debut off a lowly mark having shown little in three maidens earlier in the year. His recent two -month absence from the track suggests he was affected by the bug that was going around the Varian yard in the late summer. The gelding is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Danadana and, if the blinkers work the oracle, he could be chucked in off 65.
Despite a disappointing run from Escobar, reported to have scoped dirty, Hugo Palmer had a successful Newmarket last week and Spring Jig is brought out only a week after going down by a neck in a Kempton maiden over today's 10f trip which is a very long way for a juvenile.
Title chasing Jim Crowley takes the ride but I just prefer the chances of Jive Talking (3.40) off the track since finishing in mid-division on the all-weather at Newcastle back in July. The fillies' breeding suggests she has every chance of coping with today's 10f trip and she receives 8lbs from the colts taking into consideration her young rider's 3lbs claim.
Maazel (4.10) looked ready for a return to 6f when getting going too late over the minimum trip at Catterick last time. The selection is 3lbs higher this afternoon but has bits of form in maidens which suggest he could still be ahead of the handicapper.
The ground is heavy and sure to be extremely testing at Hamilton where Shahaama (2.50) can take the 6f handicap for Mick Channon and Graham Lee. The selection won off a 2lbs lower mark at Goodwood back in June on soft ground and might have gone close at Salisbury last time but for meeting trouble in her run. That was a welcome return to form and she obviously goes well with plenty of cut in the ground. Hab Reeh is 5 years older than the selection and is another to consider in a decent contest.
Danzeno has a leading chance at the weights in the feature event, but he disappointed in a similar race at York last time and might be worth taking on. Ascription (3.50) missed the break in the Ayr Gold Cup and could never get competitive having his first start for Keith Dalgleish. That should have blown the cobwebs away and he gets the nod in a trappy little contest.
Rainy City is penalised 18lbs for the three hurdle races he has won and no surprise to see Paul Nicholls claim 7lbs off with young conditional Stan Sheppard in the plate. Templeross (3.00) was a decent bumper sort for Nigel Twiston-Davies and this son a Presenting receives 11lbs from the likely favourite.
Enjoy Responsibly is the best handicapped horse in the 2m handicap chase but needs a change of jockey and certainly won't get an uncontested lead with Next Sensation one of a number of other front-runners in the field in the field. Canicallyouback (3.30) will have the race run to suit and can reverse recent Worcester form with Owen Na View although they meet on the same terms.
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