Fast Performer to take some catching at Newmarket

By Nick Robson, Press Association

It will be a shock if Fast Performer fails to go one better than on his debut when he lines up in the Knight Frank Woodbridge EBF Restricted Novice Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

Slowly away at Nottingham and a little green before showing an abundance of promise when the penny dropped, Fast Performer ran on through horses to claim a fine second behind a Richard Hannon-trained winner who has gone in again since.

A huge positive for his backers is William Haggas’ two-year-olds arguably improve as much as any from their first run to their second and he should break his duck at the second attempt.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Cerro Blanco is impossible to oppose in the Knight Frank Cambridge Connections Novice Stakes.

It has been a tricky season for Appleby for one reason or another, mainly being his older horses have not been up to scratch, but after a slow May and June he had a good July, numerically anyway even if he was not really competing in the big races.

Cerro Blanco will be having his third outing yet has never left Newmarket, with his first two being on the Rowley Mile.

He made an impressive winning debut and showed in the King Charles II Listed race he is very talented when second to Saber Strike.

Anything resembling that effort will be enough to see off his three rivals here.

James Owen is probably the pre-eminent dual-purpose trainer in the UK at the moment and he brings his Summer Hurdle winner High Fibre back to the Flat for the Knight Frank Eastern Counties Handicap.

Third at York over a mile and a half when teeing himself up for what was probably his big aim, he runs off the same mark here over two and this is just his third run for the yard so there is likely more to come.

The Owen Burrows-trained Menhaal was sent off a short-priced favourite for his first two outings but failed to deliver and has subsequently been gelded.

That should given him the best chance to show what he is really made of in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Sandown, where the drop to five furlongs is also in his favour.

Appleby sends 1,000,000 guinea yearling First Law to the Esher track for the Chasemore Farm EBF Maiden Stakes so all eyes will be on him.

Related to plenty of winners, the best being Skitter Skatter who won the Moyglare Stud Stakes for Patrick Prendergast, there will be long faces at Moulton Paddocks if he is beaten.

Gary and Josh Moore’s Bohemian Breeze is chasing a Brighton hat-trick in the JenningsBet In Basingstoke Brighton Challenge Cup Handicap and looks to hold solid claims.

A winner by a neck in early June off 55, he defied a 5lb rise with ease when back there three weeks later. Up another 4lb, that looks very fair and Tom Queally seems to get a great tune out of him.

With £30,000 up for grabs it is no surprise to see some nice horses in the Free Tips On attheraces.com Handicap at Southwell, where Ultrasoul can continue to progress for Roger Varian, who has booked Hong Kong superstar Vincent Ho – in town for the Shergar Cup – for the ride.

Top tips for today’s UK meetings

TAB is betting on 5 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

NEWMARKET: Race 1: 15.20 Home Hero, Race 2: 15.55 Lord Ragnar, Race 3: 16.30 FAST PERFORMER (NAP), Race 4: 17.00 Cerro Blanco, Race 5: 17.33 High Fibre, Race 6: 18.08 Educator.

BRIGHTON: Race 1: 15.38 Voodoo Ray, Race 2: 16.13 The Monkey King, Race 3: 16.50 Danehill Star, Race 4: 17.25 Bohemian Breeze, Race 5: 17.55 Alex The Great, Race 6: 18.30 Silver Trumpet.

SANDOWN: Race 1: 18.00 Impierious, Race 2: 18.38 Menhaal, Race 3: 19.13 First Law, Race 4: 19.48 Edwin Hubble, Race 5: 20.23 Desert Shadow, Race 6: 20.58 Great Blasket.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1: 18.04 Mist Of Time, Race 2: 18.34 Here Comes Louie, Race 3: 19.06 Kiss Me My Love, Race 4: 19.41 Bullrider, Race 5: 20.16 Pickersgill, Race 6: 20.51 Spirit Of Jenny Race 7: 21.26 Ultrasoul, Race 8: 22.00 Luan.

CHEPSTOW: Race 1: 18.20 Curran, Race 2: 18.55 Rogue Dakota, Race 3: 19.30 Moe’s Legacy, Race 4: 20.05 Serenity Blue, Race 5: 20.40 Clementines Star, Race 6: 21.15 Hallandale Beach.

DOUBLE: Fast Performer and High Fibre (Newmarket, Races 3 and 5).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab.co.za