Tony McFadden of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Three points of interest
Tregoning sends one on rare trip to Thirsk
It's a long way from Marcus Tregoning's base in Hampshire to Thirsk in North Yorkshire so the trainer has understandably been selective with the horses he sends on the long journey north.
Since Tregoning started training in 1998 he has had only 29 runners at Thirsk, but he has had 13 winners at a hugely impressive strike rate of nearly 45%.
Tregoning has had only three runners at Thirsk in the past decade and it's been nearly two years since his last runner at the course, but on Friday he is set to be represented by the in-form Quietness in the mile-and-a-half handicap (16:10).
Quietness won her first three starts for Tregoning (was with George Baker last season) and, despite suffering a first defeat for the yard, ran better than ever on Timeform's figures when chasing home a well-bred and unexposed rival at Sandown last time. It's possible she could have more to offer.
Newmarket newcomers' race often one to note
The newcomers' maiden (18:00) at Newmarket usually features some well-bred sorts from powerful yards and is often won by a smart sort.
There were two divisions of the race last season and the first was won by Macduff, whose best effort since was when runner-up in Sandown's Classic Trial, while the second division was landed by Ghostwriter who went on to win the Royal Lodge Stakes on his final start at two and has finished in the frame in the 2000 Guineas, French Derby and Eclipse this season.
Charlie Appleby has won three of the last ten editions of this race, including with Emotionless who went on to win the Champagne Stakes before ultimately failing to meet lofty expectations.
Appleby is operating at a 40% strike rate with his juveniles this season, and at 33% with his two-year-old debutants, and his representative Watching Stars is an interesting newcomer. As you might expect for a Godolphin colt, he boasts an excellent pedigree being by Sea The Stars out of a mare who was runner-up in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes.
Skibo, trained by Ralph Beckett, also catches the eye on paper as he's out of a half-sister to the yard's very smart dual Group 1 winner Kinross.
Lyons has excellent record in Tipperary listed race
The listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes (18:25), the feature race at Tipperary on Friday, is a contest that Ger Lyons has targeted to good effect in the last decade with the trainer sending out four winners and three seconds from just eight runners.
Lyons will be hoping to enhance that hugely impressive record this year with Curragh maiden winner Beckman.
Beckman provided his sire Beckford with a first winner when successful on debut at the Curragh in June and he looked a good prospect in the process. He seemed to still be getting the hang of things when fourth in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown a couple of weeks ago, but that was a creditable effort bearing in mind the steep rise in class, and he remains with potential.
Tip of the Day
Harmonia - 14:10 Thirsk
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top-Rated
Harmonia stepped up on previous efforts when runner-up on her handicap debut at Beverley last month, deserving credit for faring best of those that raced prominently, and she took another step forward under a more patient ride to get off the mark at Catterick eight days later. Harmonia stayed on strongly after hitting the front inside the final couple of furlongs, ultimately passing the post with a three-and-a-quarter-length advantage. Her strength at the finish of a well-run race was notable and this thriving filly still looks well treated following an 8 lb rise in the weights.
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