Fine Form
Atomic Force PO – 3.57
can complete a hat-trick as he switches to the turf for Ed Bethell in the Ponte Premiership New For 2026 Handicap at Pontefract.
The Cotai Glory gelding won twice at Group-race level in France for Kevin Ryan before moving to Hong Kong, where he won on a few occasions.
He returned to Britain to join North Yorkshire-based Bethell last year and while it took a while for him to rediscover his best form, he won at Lingfield in January and backed up that victory at a higher level at Chelmsford the following month.
He is up a total of 8lb for those two triumphs, but he should still be competitive off a mark of 94 and he coped well with easy ground in his younger days.
Arabian Desert PO – 2.27
sets a very high standard in the Boyzlife Live At Ponte Friday 22nd May Maiden Stakes.
The Frankel colt achieved a rating of 100 without winning as a two-year-old, chiefly down to him finishing second in the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury.
It will be disappointing if he is unable to make the most of what looks a gilt-edged opportunity for him to open his account on his reappearance.
Liquid Cooled PO – 5.00
looked to have benefited from being gelded last time out at Newcastle and can go in again in the OAP Free Day Tuesday 21st April Handicap.
The son of Mehmas was well beaten in three previous trips to Gosforth Park but looked a different character last time out, finishing off strongly to win going away by a length and a quarter.
Having started off life in handicaps off a lowly mark, Liquid Cooled could be the sort to run up a sequence.
Captain Fox SO – 6.00
is rated the best bet on the all-weather at Southwell.
The Richard Hughes-trained three-year-old was placed twice as a juvenile last season and while it was no great surprise to see him open his account on his first start as a three-year-old at Lingfield in late February, it was still difficult not to be impressed by the manner of his dominant front-running display.
A winter gelding operation clearly did him no harm and a mark of 81 for the Sky Sports Racing Virgin 512 Handicap may underestimate him.
National Hunt fare comes from Exeter, where
Land Girl’s Luck EX – 4.10
can secure a deserved win in the It Pays To Buy Irish Novices’ Handicap Chase for Max Comley.
She was beaten just a length when second at Plumpton in September and having enjoyed three more podium finishes since, she can make her first visit to the winner’s enclosure since recording back-to-back wins at Southwell and Bangor last June.
Dyno Dave EX – 4.40
is expected to make it back-to-back course and distance wins in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap Chase.
Still lightly-raced after just seven lifetime starts, the eight-year-old displayed a willing attitude to break his duck with a short head success here three weeks ago, battling back after being headed by Girls Best Friend.
With more improvement expected, a 5lb rise does not look insurmountable.
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