Martin Dixon of The Horse Watchers assesses the team's runners on Friday and Saturday, including Daring Legend whose York form has proved very strong.
Saturday runners
Heathen - 16:15 York
He's on a much lower mark on the grass than the all-weather and we still think there's a bit of mileage in that rating. He ran well in the Queen Mother's Cup last time over a mile and a half (replay below), but he's a horse that stays two miles and, although he travels well, he didn't quicken at the end of the race and was keeping on at the one pace.
His last two wins for us have come over a mile and six furlongs, and it's the first time we've run him at this distance since he won at Wolverhampton in February.
I think he's definitely up to winning off his lower turf mark. The ground will suit him and he's got form at the track. He has some strong form, is proving to be a lot more consistent now than he was last year and I'd be pretty optimistic about him. I think he'll go well.
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Westernesse 17:25 York
He should have a good chance, certainly a good each-way chance as it's obviously a wide-open amateur riders' race. We've managed to get Simon Walker on him who is the most experienced of the amateur riders around, so we're very happy with the jockey booking.
He won nicely at Ripon last week (replay below). He's had a couple of injury problems over the last couple of years, but this season he's getting a clear shot at his racing and has been kept busier. He seems to be thriving on that and ran well over the course and distance on his penultimate outing.
It's competitive but he heads into it in probably the best form he's been since we've had him. With one of the top riders on, he should have a decent chance.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsWar Howl - 19:00 Doncaster
He didn't handle the track at Nottingham at all. We tried him over a mile at Nottingham and he got caught into a position a bit further back than he wanted, didn't handle the turn, didn't handle the undulations and I'd say it's just a run to completely forget.
His debut for us at Newcastle in March was a pleasing effort at a time when he wasn't fully tuned up. After Nottingham we were keen to give him plenty of time to get back into his routine and try to find a set-up where there wouldn't be excuses for him. We've identified this race - seven furlongs, straight track, nice ground. It's the ideal place to learn a bit more about him.
William Buick suggested he would be better back at seven furlongs and that a straight, level track would suit him better. There are some other improving horses in the field, but he should run a lot better than last time.
Daring Legend - 20:00 Doncaster
His York form has proved to be very strong - he finished second at York and the next five behind him all won next time out. That was probably a career-best performance from him and he's actually off the same handicap mark of 78 on Saturday.
Although he's had quite a few races, he's always been quite a lean, unfurnished horse physically, but seeing him on his last couple of starts he is really filling out and strengthening up nicely. Although he looks quite exposed, I think he's physically only really coming into himself.
At Thirsk last time, the winner was a very well-handicapped three-year-old, and he didn't have a great trip around as he was caught out three deep on the bend. He kept on trying and gave everything, but he just didn't have an ideal position.
He's run well at Doncaster before and a straight track on a level surface seems to suit him very well, so everything is in his favour and he should give a good account.
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