Ben Linfoot picks out three things to note on Thursday, from a promising novice at Warwick to some interesting juveniles on Kempton’s evening card.
1. Barbados to shine at Warwick
Nicky Henderson has bigger pots in his sights this week than the Better Value On Colossus Pools Mares' 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle at Warwick but Barbados Blue will no doubt have her trainer’s attentions at 1235 on Thursday.
She’s only had one run – at this track in May – where she showed gears galore to win by 15 lengths. That wasn’t a deep race and it was definitely a case of style over substance but she’s exciting.
Her dam is a half-sister to Big Buck’s so she’s bred for the game and she looked a little out of the ordinary on her belated summer debut.
It won’t be as warm on Thursday but it will still be a disappointment if she still doesn’t sizzle for the champion trainer.
2. A touch of Frost
Little Windmill could do with a confidence boost.
Pulled up on his last two starts over fences, he was previously in really good form and he’ll be hoping to rediscover his mojo now he’s back over hurdles with Bryony Frost taking over in the saddle in the Elizabeth Day Supporting Injured Jockeys Fund Novices' Handicap Hurdle (1.35 Taunton).
The last time he ran over timber he was third off a mark of 105 at Southwell, but prior to that he made all at Worcester and similar tactics could well be employed at Taunton.
He’s at his best when dictating and, crucially, he’s the only regular front-runner in the field, so he could well get the run of the race under Frost, who has demonstrated her effectiveness on this type of horse on several occasions.
Considering his last two runs he’ll likely be a big price, but, given the way this could pan out, he at the very least has back-to-lay potential and a straightforward win bet (just seven runners scuppers the each-way angle) might not be futile, either.
3. Beckett newcomers at Kempton
Ralph Beckett has had a fantastic end to the season with his juveniles and more than a few recently have been well backed before making winning debuts, too.
For the last three months Beckett has had 19 juvenile winners from 86 runners at a strike-rate of 22 per cent, so it’s probably worth checking how newcomers Princess Salamah and Loch Lady go in the betting ahead of their debuts at Kempton on Thursday.
Both of them are by up-and-coming Coolmore stallions, with daughter of Australia, Princess Salamah, running in division one of the 32Red.com Novice Stakes at 5.30, while half an hour later Camelot filly, Loch Lady, goes in division two.
Camelot has had a good year with his stock, headed by Latrobe who will bid to finish his campaign with a bang in the Hong Kong Vase, and Loch Lady might be a more likely type on paper.
She’s a half-sister to four winners including the 115-rated Highland Knight and Rock Eagle, a stablemate that won on debut for Beckett (albeit as a three-year-old) and is three from five including a win at Newmarket last month.
Both are interesting, though, and it will fascinating to see what the market makes of them.
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