Improving Harley can put course experience to good use and carry off the biggest prize on the Hamilton card in the Molton Brown Luxury Fragrance Hamilton Park 2-Y-O Series Final Nursery Handicap on Wednesday.
Ed Bethell’s chestnut gelding has twice been to the South Lanarkshire track, finishing a never-sighted fifth on debut back in May and running out a ready winner over this distance on his fifth start last month.
That last run was his second in a handicap following a decent second at Ripon in July and showed the gelding was getting the hang of things, lengthening really well when hitting the rising ground to come 3.25-lengths clear of Sea Mirage.
It was by no means a strong contest but the flip side of that is that the handicapper has not felt able to be too harsh, upping him from 75 to 78.
That looks a workable mark and while the second, Sea Mirage, reopposes on 7lb better terms the selection should have that one covered and looks to have a decent amount of headroom in terms of improvement.
Connections clearly did not expect a huge amount when Sod Hall Lane made his debut at 14-1 in a decent contest at Musselburgh.
But they were rewarded with a huge run from the Blue Point colt, who chased home the useful Minster Man with a couple of decent prospects in behind.
The winner has since gone in again and, if Sod Hall Lane shows normal improvement for the experience, Declan Carroll’s colt will go close in the Heineken Low & No Bar EBF Maiden Stakes.
Jim Goldie’s Uncle Liam is only 2lb above the mark which he carried to victory here over 2400m in June and looks a better horse when he can get his toe in.
With Danny Tudhope aboard he can make a bold bid for a second course win of the season in the 2200m Book Your Christmas Party Hamilton Park Handicap.
Fram Castle looks a cut above average rivals in the Bath Country Race Day, Enough To Drive You Crazy If You Let It! Handicap at the Somerset track.
Michael Wigham’s five-year-old brings better current form than most and with Alexandra Egan taking 7lb off the gelding’s back a reproduction of either of his two most recent runs would be enough.
At Newmarket last time the selection was a strong finishing 2.5-lengths third over this trip and while he has no experience around Bath, there seems no reason to believe it will not play to his strengths.
Havana Prince looks a bet in the High Gosforth Park Golf Club Handicap back on his favourite surface at Newcastle.
Tony Coyle and Kaine Wood’s five-year-old has some decent form on turf but his best effort came here over course and distance when winning off this mark in March. A repeat could be on the cards. Press Association
TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings on Wednesday. Here are the tips.
BATH: Race 1: 15.00 Etienne, Race 2: 15.30 Starsong, Race 3: 16.00 Geemann, Race 4: 16.30 Fancy Dancer, Race 5: 17.00 Fram Castle, Race 6: 17.30 Buckland Belle, Race 7: 18.02 Quebella, Race 8: 18.35 Shaffron.
NEWCASTLE: Race 1: 15.45 Koko Blue, Race 2: 15.15 Baldosa, Race 3: 15.45 Yordan, Race 4: 16.15 Havana Prince, Race 5: 16.45 Profitability, Race 6: 17.15 Starliner, Race 7: 17.45 Let’s Go Hugo, Race 8: 18.15 Sassy Glory, Race 9: 18.45 Barleybrown.
HAMILTON: Race 1: 17.50 Sod Hall Lane, Race 2: 18.20 Valentine Catcher, Race 3: 18.50 Perseus Way, Race 4: 19.20 HARLEY (NAP), Race 5: 19.50 Thunderstorm Katie, Race 6: 20.20 Aurelune, Race 7: 20.50 Uncle Liam.
KEMPTON: Race 1: 18.30 Superstorm, Race 2: 19.00 Abersoch, Race 3: 19.30 Sierra Belle, Race 4: 20.00 Fortitudine, Race 5: 20.30 Egotistical, Race 6: 21.00 Comic Hero, Race 7: 21.30 Madjid.
ALL TO COME: Fram Castle (Bath, Race 5) and Harley (Hamilton, Race 4).
