Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Back-to-form Starlyte looks well treated
Starlyte won three times during a productive campaign last season but is still searching for a first win this term. There have been more encouraging signs of late, however, and she seemed to excel herself when fourth in a mares' listed contest at Kelso last month.
Starlyte's starting price of 200/1 - and Betfair starting price of 580/1 - offers some indication of the sort of challenge she faced in such company against rivals rated in the region of two stone higher. However, she fared than those odds would suggest and was beaten fewer than ten lengths in fourth after running on late.
That effort, which earned Starlyte the Horse In Focus Flag to mark her out as one likely to be of firm interest next time, came on the back of another encouraging display when in mid-division over two and a half miles at Newcastle. That performance prompted Timeform's reporter to note she 'caught the eye by the end kept to what is probably a barely adequate trip now after 3 months off, and she'll be of plenty of interest if stepped back up in distance next time'.
The reporter clearly didn't have a listed race in mind when making that comment, but Starlyte now gets her chance at a more suitable level in the handicap hurdle over just shy of two miles and seven furlongs (14:30) at Kelso. She heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings by 5 lb based on her latest effort.
Double Parked bidding to enhance Redcar record
Double Parked won on his first three outings at Redcar last season, and even when he was beaten at the track on his final start of the year he emerged with plenty of credit. Indeed, that close-up third in a good renewal of the Mile series final was just about his best performance yet by Timeform's reckoning.
Double Parked makes his seasonal reappearance in the mile handicap (15:42), and given his impressive track record he unsurprisingly has Timeform's Horses For Courses Flag.
His fitness needs to be taken on trust on his first start since October, but Double Parked still looks fairly treated off the same mark as when beaten only half a length and a neck in that series final. That looked like a strong race of its type at the time and the form has worked out well with the second and fourth both going on to win next time out.
Big Love should be suited by step up in trip
Big Love fared better than previously when beaten around eight lengths in fourth on his handicap debut at Wetherby last month and he still has the Timeform 'small p' to show that he's capable of better form.
Big Love wasn't always fluent and could never land a blow in a race described by Timeform's reporter as 'having a much more positive feel to it than most at this level', but he made encouraging progress under mainly hands-and-heels riding in the straight, earning the Horse In Focus Flag and leaving the impression that stiffer tests would suit.
Indeed, the reporter noted that the four-year-old Big Love 'will stay 2½m and remain of plenty of interest, particularly with the weight-for-age allowance he receives'. He doesn't take such a big step up in trip at Kelso on Monday, but he should still be suited by moving up a couple of furlongs in the two-and-a-quarter mile handicap hurdle (16:00) and can raise his game.
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