Fine Form
Defiance LI – 3.00
can advertise his Epsom claims with victory in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes at the Surrey track.
Roger Varian’s charge beat Caviar Heights a short head on racecourse debut last August, with the value of that form well advertised by that horse’s four-length Listed victory at Newmarket last week.
Defiance went on to finish a four-length sixth to Ghostwriter in the Royal Lodge as a 33-1 chance, but he looked certain to be a better three-year-old and that appeared the case as he got going a touch too late in the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his reappearance.
The Camelot colt was putting in all his best work at the finish over 10 furlongs after sitting off the early leaders, so his three-quarter-length defeat at the hands of Bellum Justum can be upgraded.
Moving up to just short of 12 furlongs here, Defiance can book his ticket to bigger things.
Danielle LI – 2.25
made a splash at Wetherby at the end of last month and can take the step up to Listed level in her stride in the William Hill Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes.
Third and second on her first two starts on the all-weather, switching to turf saw her open her account in style in a novice contest, powering home by 12 lengths with Kieran Shoemark having to do little more than shake the reins.
As a half-sister to Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami, Danielle is bred to be pretty smart and is another who should not be troubled by moving up to just short of Classic distance.
Remarquee LI – 3.35
returns to action in the William Hill Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes after a three-year-old campaign that saw her fall just short at the highest level.
Beaten a length in the Coronation Stakes and five lengths in the Falmouth when second on both occasions, Remarquee has not run since coming home a fair fourth, beaten just under four lengths, in the Prix Rothschild last July.
That was a slightly disappointing effort and a subsequent wind operation could help her regain her upwards trajectory.
Arabian Storm AS – 2.40
can go well at decent odds in the Lavazza & Ascot 10 Year Anniversary Victoria Cup at Ascot.
A close-up third in Listed company last May, Arabian Storm did not run again last term and only returned to action at Kempton in March, where he beat just one rival home on what was his handicap bow.
Given it was his first racecourse spin for 327 days, Arabian Storm can be expected to come on for the run and dropped 2lb by the handicapper for that six-and-a-half-length defeat, the Kingman colt could be underrated off a mark of 93.
Haydock has a mixed card and
Afadil HY – 3.15
can take top jumps honours in the Pertemps Network Swinton Handicap Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls’ representative ran a cracker in the Scottish Champion Hurdle to finish a close-up fourth, racing prominently before just feeling his early effort in the closing stages on soft ground.
Unchanged on a mark of 130, Afadil should find Haydock’s sounder surface to his liking.
Shartash HY – 3.50
can make it two from two for Archie Watson in the Pertemps Network Spring Trophy Stakes.
A Group Two winner as a juvenile, he could not build on that in five three-year-old runs for Johnny Murtagh, eventually being shipped out of the yard for €150,000 last September.
A change of scenery and a drop in class to conditions level saw Shartash off the mark at the first attempt for his new team, registering a stylish four-length success over a decent yardstick in Ramazan, with the previously classy Holloway Boy back in third.
This is another test, but Shartash is favoured at the weights and his confidence should have got a nice boost from that Thirsk victory.
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