Fire can start season the right way at Nottingham
See The Fire should light up the start of her campaign with success in the British Stallion Studs EBF Nottinghamshire Oaks on Sunday.
Andrew Balding’s Sea The Stars mare had a brilliant season as four-year-old, breezing to Middleton Stakes glory by 12 lengths at York before going down by a short neck in the Prix de l’Opera in October.
She finished her campaign in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and only finished six lengths back, highlighting her obvious talent and she is rated 14lb higher than anything else in the field at Nottingham.
After 175 days away from the track, this could be the perfect tune-up for the defence of her Middleton crown next month.
Archie Watson’s Layla Liz has been lightly raced in her career to date but she can maintain her brilliant record in the Pertemps Network Commercial Handicap.
Having had only five starts, the Inns Of Court filly has won three times and finished second twice, with victory on her only appearance this season at Wolverhampton last month.
The four-year-old won on debut at Leicester in October 2024 – her only contest on turf – before featuring four more times at Dunstall Park over the last 18 months.
Should she find her form back on the turf, Layla Liz could be a useful sort this campaign.
Bassrah is an interesting debutant for Charlie Fellowes in the £9 Racedays At Nottingham Racecourse EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
Bought for 110,000 guineas, the Wootton Bassett filly is a sister to a 1000m winner – the distance over which she makes her first start – although her pedigree suggests Bassrah will go over further in the future.
North of the border at Musselburgh, Tamam Star will make his debut for perennial two-year-old winning trainer Karl Burke in the Enter ITV 7 For Free EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes.
The Jaber Abdullah-owned son of Kodi Bear is a half-brother to Midnight Malibu, who won twice over 1000m as a juvenile, so that bodes well for his first racecourse start.
I’m Next will make a swift return to the track in the Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap for Tim Easterby.
The four-year-old, who has course and distance experience, prevailed by 1.25-lengths at Beverley on Thursday and will escape the handicapper due to the quick turnaround barring a 5lb penalty.
Sea The Storm makes her seasonal return for new trainer William Haggas in the Vertu Mazda York Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Wetherby.
The three-year-old was last seen finishing 1.75-lengths short of German Group Three glory for David Menuisier in October, so Sea The Storm should produce a strong display on debut for the Somerville Lodge handler. – Press Association
SELECTIONS
MUSSELBURGH: Race 1 – 16.45 Dwindling Funds, Race 2 – 17.15 Tamam Star, Race 3 – 17.45 Glorious Kitty, Race 4 – 18.15 Fast Fred, Race 5 – 18.45 Salam Dubawi, Race 6 – 19.15 Alther Walden, Race 7 – 19.45 I’m Next.
NOTTINGHAM: Race 1 – 15.13 Box Clever, Race 2 – 15.48 Bassrah, Race 3 – 16.20 Winchurch, Race 4 – 16.55 Elashgar, Race 5 – 17.25 Layla Liz, Race 6 – 17.55 SEE THE FIRE (NAP), Race 7 – 18.25 Codiak, Race 8 – 18.55 Solanna.
WETHERBY: Race 1 – 14.55 Liquid Cooled, Race 2 – 15.30 Princling, Race 3 – 16.00 Sea The Storm, Race 4 – 16.35 Gold Queen Kindly, Race 5 – 17.05 Secret History, Race 6 – 17.35 Harswell Ruby, Race 7 – 18.05 Ingleby Archie.