Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Safari Dream remains well treated
Safari Dream hadn’t won for over two and a half years, but he ended the drought over this course and distance last month, and remains on a good mark in the George Smith Horseboxes Handicap (15:00) at Salisbury.
He had fallen 21lb below his last winning mark and landed market support in good style, making all of the running and his rider was able to ease him near the finish.
Safari Dream escaped a penalty for that success and had no problem following up at Chelmsford seven days later, again strong in the betting, produced to lead in the final furlong and having something in hand at the line.
The handicapper has raised him 8lb for those two wins, which still leaves him particularly well treated on his past exploits and, returned to a track he has a good record at – he has the Horses For Courses Flag – he is a big player once again.
Murphy and the Gosdens have a fine record
Since John & Thady Gosden took out a joint training license, Oisin Murphy has a 30% strike rate for the yard, and they team up again with Competizione in the Danny McNab Bookmakers Novice Stakes (15:30) at Salisbury.
He was unconsidered for his debut at Newmarket in April and shaped as though in much need of the experience, pushed along under two furlongs out and unable to quicken in the closing stages.
Competizione has shown improved form since, much tighter in the betting and finishing a lot closer to the winner of the Newmarket race when beaten half a length at Doncaster next time, and he was unlucky to bump into a potentially smart sort at Chelmsford last time.
He perhaps didn’t see out the mile too well last time, so the return to seven furlongs should suit, and he sets the standard on form in this field.
Interesting stable debutante at Catterick
Since the turn of the year, James Owen can boast a 26% strike rate with stable debutants on the Flat, and Little Keilee looks very interesting in the British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (19:10) at Catterick.
She was fairly useful at her best when trained by Ciaran Murphy, her latest win coming in a handicap over a mile at Dundalk in February, but she wasn’t in the same form on her last three starts for that yard, slow starts putting her on the backfoot.
Little Keilee has since joined a yard who are building an excellent reputation with new recruits and she starts off in Britian from a potentially lenient mark. This also doesn’t look a deep race, while the booking of Hollie Doyle catches the eye, too. She hasn’t had many rides for Owen (eight in total) and she makes her way to Catterick for the first time since October 2023.
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