Letsbefrank’s bid to land the £100,000 bonus for the second time in three years is the headline story of the Sky Bet Sunday Series finale at Pontefract. Scottish Sun columnist and Racing TV analyst Ed Watson has sliced and diced the seven-race card and fancies a trio of fillies to muscle in on the action.
THE NAP BET
SI GRASS (16:15)
We’ve seen SI GRASS only three times since she chased home subsequent French Oaks third and Irish Oaks runner-up Inis Mor on debut at Newmarket a year ago.
Charlie Johnston’s filly won with plenty more up her sleeve than the official margin at Southwell next time when returning from a six-month lay-off before going down only narrowly under a penalty to a rival who, crucially, got first run over the same track and trip three weeks later.
She then missed another five months prior to her handicap debut in fillies-only heat at Glorious Goodwood last month, when a steady early gallop didn’t see her to best effect. Positioned in the rear half of the field and caught out deeper on the track than ideal, she raced exuberantly as a result.
Dropped 1lb, this well-bred daughter of Churchill can be expected to improve a chunk with that recent effort behind her. Already Timeform top-rated, she will likely prove hard to beat if she does.
Three other unexposed three-year-olds give this a competitive look for a five-runner affair. It’s one that shouldn’t become overly tactical thanks to thoroughly likeable front-runner Two Be Tanned - a five-time winner last year and also successful on her seasonal return - who doesn’t usually hang about from the gates.
The Inside Track: “Si Grass didn’t handle the preliminaries too well at Goodwood. She was on her toes and fresh beforehand, and then ran like that, particularly during the first half of the race. I thought she’d drop away inside the final furlong and a half, but to her credit she stuck at it. In hindsight, taking her to a big meeting for her first run back for five months was a fair ask. I’m expecting her to step forward mentally and physically with that run under her belt. We were planning to go for the big 1m handicap at York next week, but when I saw this race cutting up I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass over.” - Charlie Johnson, trainer
THE NEXT BEST
FLUORESCENCE (17:45)
A well-run 5f on decent ground should prove ideal for FLUORESCENCE to continue the excellent recent record of Oisin Orr and Ed Bethell whenever they team up.
The Twilight Son filly was beaten just over a length in a 5f Listed contest at Ayr in June, then shaped better than the bare result behind Flora Of Bermuda and Co in the Group 3 Summer Stakes over 6f at York next time.
For my money, she was a tad unfortunate to miss out by a pair of flared nostrils in a three-way photo back in a handicap on her latest effort at Hamilton, given her jockey that day Gina Mangan was momentarily forced to delay her challenge as the gaps closed in front of her, causing her to switch wide to get a run.
While Bethell’s charge had only ever run on flat tracks prior to Hamilton, that latest effort was a clear PB on Timeform figures and suggests the punishing Pontefract hill won’t be any kind of hindrance. Neither will the return in the saddle of Orr, who has form figures of 12321041132131 on his rides for Bethell since July 1. She can take a 2lb rise in her stride from a handy inside draw.
The Inside Track: “Her best form is over 5f, which is why we’re coming here rather than the Listed race. But I’m really confident she’ll get black type this year. It’s all about landing on the right spot for her. She likes having horses to aim at as she can be a bit free once in front. She ran a blinder and Hamilton last time and I see no reason why she won’t run another here” - Ed Bethell, trainer
THE EACH-WAY BET
SING THE BLUES (16:45)
That same York Group 3 could hold the key to the feature Flying Fillies Stakes, with American Queen and Royal Fixation renewing hostilities for the fourth time in their careers. The former came out a length-and-a-quarter to the good on the Knavesmire five weeks ago, but Royal Fixation had the upper hand when landing last season’s Lowther and again in the Cheveley Park. There were signs last time that she is edging back towards her top-level two-year-old form on just her second start since a close-season switch to Karl Burke.
While a win for either wouldn’t surprise, I’d rather play a juicier price about fellow three-year-old SING THE BLUES, who’s 2-2 since making a trainer transfer of her own to Martin Dunne and 3-3 under Cieran Fallon.
As 25-1 scorer at Newmarket in July - her first start since being pulled up on heavy ground at Doncaster last November on what proved to be her final start for William Haggas - the daughter of Space Blues posted an even better effort only 11 days later when landing a 20-runner affair at Glorious Goodwood.
With the handicapper raising Dunne’s charge to a new mark of 90 on the back of that, another jolt of progress is required if she’s to bridge the ratings gap here. Fillies in form are capable of making big strides in a short space of time, however, and there was enough in the way she came clear with the runner-up inside the final furlong at Goodwood, despite drifting left, to think we’re still to see the best of her.
The Inside Track: “She’s very straightforward and easy to train. Another step forward is needed up against horses rated higher than her, but she’s a filly going the right way. She quickened up well to win at Goodwood last time and Cieran was keen to keep their partnership intact this weekend.” - Martin Dunne, trainer
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