Pietro the standout pick at Yarmouth
Pietro looked to be coming to the boil with a staying on third at Doncaster last time out and can go two places better in the Join Moulton Racing Syndicate Apprentice Handicap at Yarmouth on Tuesday.
With James Fanshawe’s runners performing at a decent level in recent weeks the four-year-old looks primed to give a solid account and on the best of his form this season, that could be more than good enough.
The gelding’s best effort on turf came over 1400m at Chester but it was the staying on performance at Doncaster behind Blue Brother that suggested his time was near.
With the winner going on to land a decent handicap on Arc day at Longchamp and Fanshawe’s gelding having been dropped a pound since, he looks to have plenty going for him.
There are some valuable individuals with some fancy entries in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, but none makes more appeal on breeding than Kevin Philippart De Foy’s Night Of Thunder filly Marylebone.
Her sire is building into a juggernaut at the sales but it is her dam Prudenzia which suggests she could be out of the ordinary given that makes Marylebone a half-sister to Diamond Necklace, Philomene, Chicquita and Magic Wand, who were all Group One class fillies.
If she is tuned up, and the market will provide a decent guide, she could make a winning debut under the excellent David Egan.
Queen Of Scotland can land a hat-trick and provide newly-crowned champion Billy Loughnane with yet another winner in the Gold And Silver Exchange Fillies’ Handicap.
George Boughey’s three-year-old shoulders top-weight but deserves to be judged on two wins, at Windsor on slow ground in September and on Kempton’s all-weather surface earlier this month, showing a smart turn of foot on both occasions.
Jeriko Du Reponet has been disappointing over fences so far, failing to get his head in front in five outings including when 4-1 favourite for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the Festival in March.
The upside is that he starts the season still a novice and eligible for the Follow @attheraces On X “Chasing Excellence” Beginners’ Chase at Hexham, into which he brings level of form and experience which could prove telling.
He was pulled up in a handicap hurdle at Aintree on his last run of the campaign for Nicky Henderson, but if he can reproduce the form of his four chasing runs on his first start for Ben Haslam, it could well be enough to account for just two rivals in Northumberland.
Stay Hopeful was a ready winner off a 7lb lower mark over course and distance last time but remains very much at the right end of the weights for shrewd Irish trainer Cian Collins.
Sean Bowen had to get serious with the six-year-old gelding approaching the last but once he mastered the eventual second Deadheat, he pulled right away in the manner of an improving horse.
He needs to go up another step, but with Bowen retaining the ride in the Northumbria Leisure Handicap Chase he can do just that and extend his winning sequence. – Press Association
TAB is betting on 3 UK meetings on Tuesday. Here are the tips.
YARMOUTH: Race 1: 14.20 PIETRO (NAP), Race 2: 14.50 Marylebone, Race 3: 15.20 Starship Lily, Race 4: 15.53 Queen Of Scotland, Race 5: 16.28 Potters Prince, Race 6: 17.03 Court Drive, Race 7: 17.38 Rambuso Creek, Race 8: 18.08 Call Time.
HEXHAM: Race 1: 15.01 Tralee Girl, Race 2: 15.32 Littletown Lad, Race 3: 16.07 Codger’s Rock, Race 4: 16.42 Blakey Boy, Race 5: 17.17 Jeriko Du Reponet, Race 6: 17.50 Stay Hopeful.
NEWCASTLE: Race 1: 17.22 Al Afaweeq, Race 2: 17.57 Circus Of Rome, Race 3: 18.30 Newsreader, Race 4: 19.00 Kindest Nation, Race 5: 19.30 Shes Got The Blues, Race 6: 20.00 Notimetotakeoff, Race 7: 20.30 Brazen Idol, Race 8: 21.00 Pockley, Race 9: 21.30 Macedonian.
ALL TO COME: Pietro (Yarmouth, Race 1) and Stay Hopeful (Hexham, Race 6).