There was a bit of rain forecast for Salisbury on Wednesday,
but the hope is that conditions are no worse than good for today's eight-race
card.
The feature race is the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes for
two-year-old fillies and Happy Romance – who was taken out of the Prestige
Stakes on account of the soft ground last weekend – had previously won two
valuable Sales' races in the manner of an exciting juvenile. She must go close,
but the nod goes to Time Scale (3.10) who was only beaten a length when fourth in
the July Stakes last time and that form has worked out well. That run was the
fillies fourth run in five weeks, and she has been given the best part of two
months to freshen up.
Spring Of Love has been off the track since finishing down
the field in a 7f listed contest on her reappearance ten weeks ago. The filly
won on debut over 7f, but she must have been showing enough pace on the home
gallops to suggest to trainer Charlie Appleby that she can compete in this
competitive fillies' handicap. A check of the market is advised.
Chil Chil (3.40) did us a favour when bouncing off the fast
ground at Ascot last month and she is taken to defy a 9lbs hike in the weights.
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy's record on the selection is 1311 and he is
seeking a hat-trick in this corresponding race having won the last couple of
renewals.
I think Leroy Leroy (7.00) has bumped into a couple of progressive
rivals on his last couple of starts including
over today's C&D last time and he is taken to make it third time lucky in
the Maiden Hurdle at Southwell.
Jim Boyle's four-year-old looks to have Nicky Henderson's
winning pointer Staithes to beat although the latter disappointed on his first
start under rules when last of 10 in a maiden Bumper back in March.
The form of Fivethousandtoone's (2.00) Windsor second on
debut was given a boost when the winner – Bahrain Pride – did us a favour in
listed class at Ripon on Monday. The selection went off a shade of odds on at
Windsor and lost little in defeat. It will take a good one to lower his colours
today.
There was heavy rain forecast for Haydock on Wednesday
afternoon and conditions are likely to be soft for today's seven-race card. Alpine
Mistral has won her last four and her current handicap mark is 30lbs higher
than when scoring at Ripon back in July. She can actually race off 78 this
afternoon under a 6lbs penalty and looks the one to beat with the likely ground
considered a plus.
The vote, however, goes to the John Gosden trained Sun Bear
(3.20) who has only had three starts but looked to be getting the hang of
things when scoring at Windsor over a mile when last seen in July. Her sister
Dubhe acted on soft ground and, after just the three career starts, she is open
to considerable improvement.
Without A Fight (3.50) is another unexposed sort who is
taken to follow up his facile Newbury Novice success on soft ground. That win
was gained over 10f, but jockey Andrea Atzeni suggested that a step up in trip
would be on the cards next time and that is the case today. Fellow three-year-old,
Coconut looks the danger in receipt of 8lbs from the Crisfords' gelding.
