Catching Pigeons: Gossip and tips from the gallops

Magical Memory can beat well-fancied local hero Brando and follow up his 2016 success in the Group 2 Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes at York on Wednesday. Charlie Hills cannot wait to get the 2015 Stewards Cup winner back into action and believes he has him back close to his best after his form fell away a little in the second half of last season.

Physically, he has strengthened and grown again during the Winter, and connections are sure he will run a big race on his way to his first Group One target of the campaign at Royal Ascot next month.

Speed Company can strike for John Quinn and Ryan Moore in the opening Sky Bet First Race Special Handicap. Europe's top jockey took the mount on this four-year-old on his comeback at Epsom, and there was plenty to like about the performance even though he did not get a clear passage when he was trying to deliver his challenge.

He finished an eye-catching fifth after running on strongly in the closing stages, and the form of the race was advertised when the winner Brorocco finished a good second in a hot event at Chester last week.

Shutter Speed is absolutely bouncing in her work since winning so well at Newbury and we know how strong that form is worth with stablemate Enable winning in decent style at Chester.

Connections are very cautious over future plans as the way she works and the amount of sheer speed she shows suggests a mile and a half could be beyond her in the future, but the Musidora Stakes is tailor made and a race the yard loves. John Gosden has won four of the last six renewals and there’ll be some long faces if that record is not enhanced this week.

Battered continues to work like a horse who has got more ability than he is showing in his races and it wouldn’t be a big shock if he puts it all together back at York, where his trainer William Haggas very much enjoys gracing the winner’s enclosure.

The horse has run three times at York before and although he’s yet to win there he has performed with credit on each occasion and it could be that the booking of Ryan Moore proves pivotal.

He might be a reasonable price in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap with the likes of Chessman also declared for Gosden and looks sure to get back in the groove before too long.

St Malo can start his second season off on the right note in the York Data Services Internet Cloud Solutions Handicap. Roger Varian won this race 12 months ago with Appeared, and looks to have another unexposed four year old for what is always a fascinating race.

St Malo improved with each of his three outings last season, and ended the campaign with an easy six-length win over subsequent winner Mutadaffeq. The runner-up started his campaign with a three and a quarter length win off 73 in a Thirsk handicap last weekend, and that suggests St Malo may be underestimated by the handicapper with a mark of 82.

Kevin Ryan runs two very nice two year olds at York and will be looking for a big run from newcomer Savalas in the British Stallion Studs Novice Stakes.

The son of Zebedee has shown plenty of speed at home and is expected to make his presence felt. Mark Johnston's debutant Knockout Blow is another highly rated colt, and could prove the danger.

Syphax, a stablemate of Savalas, could prove the value bet in the Betfred Dante Stakes on Thursday.

Ryan is more than hopeful this very smart juvenile can put last month's dismal effort at Newcastle behind him, arguing that he was clearly unsuited by the all-weather surface. This step up to a mile and a quarter will also be more to his liking, and interestingly, unlike several of the leading fancies, he is proven at Group level, having won the Acomb here at the August meeting.

His trip to Gosforth Park has sharpened him up and he could prove the each-way value in the race, though Godolphin also expect Benbatl to take a hand in the finish.

So Mi Dar is fresh enough going into the Middleton Stakes and the run should take some of the fizz out of her, but she has all the ability in the world and could simply be too classy for what is admittedly a pretty strong field.

Her recent exploits on the gallops suggest she retains all off her class and last year’s Musidora winner has plenty going for her, especially as she handles a little bit of cut in the ground better than most of these rivals.

It’s been a hugely successful week for Chelsea, who were crowned Premier League champions last Friday, and there are reasons to believe Chelsea Lad could be be about to scale new heights in 2017.

There’s an admittedly concerning ‘P’ next to his name in the form figures but Ryan Moore felt he had taken a bad step in the Spring Mile at Newbury so was left with little choice but to pull him up.

Martyn Meade’s horse has not put a foot wrong in his work since and is expected to make up into a pattern-class performer as the season develops so a mark of 96 is considered perfectly workable.

VJ Day is the second Ryan-trained two-year-old to try his luck at the meeting and he steps out for the first time in Thursday's Stratford Place Maiden Stakes. Owned by Australian based outfit, Aquis Farms Ltd, this well named son of War Front looks to have a bright future, but faces a stiff first examination here with unraced Masar in opposition and he just gets the nod.

Charlie Appleby has produced two highly rated juveniles Aqabah and Last Voyage to win this week, and this New Approach colt is also expected to run a very big race after some smart preliminary homework.

Rather intriguingly, both his sire and his dam won Derbys, the Epsom and the UAE version respectively, and he will get a bit further as the season progresses.

Gamesome does not win too many races, but he is a consistent performer in the big sprint handicaps, and should go well for Pat Smullen in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Handicap. 

He began the season with a good effort at Beverley, and his recent fourth to the progressive Vibrant Chords and Amomentofmadness looked a decent effort. He has been dropped 1lb since, and looks worth each-way consideration in a typically open race.

Mr Cripps has been given plenty of time to recover from his comeback effort at Leicester and should go well at a big price in the Investec Wealth Handicap. The five-year-old has not been the easiest horse to train, but has only been lightly raced, and can still make his mark some of the top staying handicaps as the season moves forward.

Endless Time will appreciate the fact the ground has eased on the Kanvesmire this week and she is fancied to go close in the Group Two Betway Yorkshire Cup at York on Friday. Two seconds in Group One company in France confirmed the 2016 Lancashire Oaks winner a mare of the highest class and she should want plenty of beating with race conditions in her favour.

Newbury stage their now annual clash with the final day of the York Festival on Friday and there are plenty of promising two-year-olds entered for what is often a good trial for the forthcoming six furlong races at Royal Ascot and the Newmarket July Festival.

Pick of the bunch could well be yet another highly rated Appleby-trained newcomer, Folk Tale. A half brother to smart two year old Good Place by Dubawi, he moves well at home and should handle the easy ground, if the forecast rain for the area materialises.

John Gosden should also be among the winners at the West Berkshire course, courtesy of Weekender in the John Sunley Memorial Handicap. He beat the subsequent winner Magfoor on his reappearance at Chelmsford last month, and connections are more than content with the handicapper's rating of 85 following some above average recent homework.

There's also an early word for Taamol in the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

He looks to have a lot to find based strictly on the formbook, but he worked particularly well last week and has come on a ton for his reappearance.