Fine Form
Uncle Don WD – 7.00
has gone close a couple of times since joining Robert Cowell and can record his first win for the trainer in the Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifier Handicap at Windsor.
The Middleham Park-owned gelding switched from the care of Richard Fahey to Newmarket-based Cowell earlier this year and only a neck defeat to Dark Ace prevented him from striking at the first time of asking in a valuable handicap on the all-weather at Lingfield.
He was a little disappointing at Goodwood next time, but showed his true colours at Windsor three weeks ago, battling on determinedly before losing out by a short head to Justcallmepete.
Dropping slightly in grade on his return to the Berkshire circuit, Uncle Don can cash in to get in the winner’s enclosure for the first time since breaking his duck at Beverley nearly two years ago.
Sea Her Excel WD – 7.00
can supplement her recent Wetherby success with victory in the Fitzdares Handicap.
Ivan Furtado’s filly hinted at ability in a couple of novice events last September and while her seasonal reappearance and handicap debut at Nottingham was nothing to write home about, she has since put two good runs together, with a third place finish at Catterick followed by an all-the-way win at Wetherby recently.
The runner-up from that race, Powernap, has bolted up since, so while Sea Her Excel has a 6lb rise in the weights to contend with, it might not be enough to prevent her from doubling her tally.
The Clive Cox-trained
Visually WD – 8.00
catches the eye in the Track Radio On Digital & DAB Handicap.
A winner on his Bath debut in the autumn, the son of Expert Eye was then beaten at cramped odds at Wolverhampton, but hindsight tells us there was no disgrace in finishing second to Naana’s Shadow, who is now rated 85 after winning the three-year-old “Dash’’ at Epsom recently.
Visually has been gelded since his last run and if he is fit enough to do himself justice after a lengthy break, he should go well off an opening mark of 77.
Velvet Rhythm CL – 4.23
came up short in her hat-trick bid at Lingfield a couple of weeks ago, but is fancied to regain the winning thread in the Racing TV Fillies’ Handicap at Carlisle.
Charlie Johnston’s youngster was ultra-game when winning from the front at Newmarket and Catterick last month, but was unable to sustain her effort last time.
She is given another chance on this stiffer track.
Eabha CP – 2.55
is rated the best bet of the afternoon at Chepstow.
The Space Blues filly shaped with abundant promise when third behind the highly regarded Aperoll on her Newbury debut two weeks ago and she might not need to improve much if at all on that effort to go a couple of places better in the Susan Wastie Memorial / EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes.
Karl Burke has few peers when it comes to churning out two-year-old winners and he takes the wraps off an interesting newcomer in the William Hill Royal Ascot Epic Boosts EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Wetherby in the form of
Starlight Mirage WE – 1.30
Any market support for this daughter of Dark Angel could prove ominous.
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