John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Bedwyn can deny Frank another bonus
Thirsk’s card features some typically competitive handicaps as part of the latest Sky Bet Sunday Series meeting, including the mile and a half contest (17:15). All eyes here will be on Jim Goldie’s runner Letsbefrank who has set himself up to land the £100,000 bonus for the first horse to win three races in the Series this year following wins at Musselburgh and Hamilton under stable apprentice Lauren Young. Letsbefrank started the season on a reduced mark, and a 5 lb rise for his latest win seems unlikely to prevent a bold bid to land the bonus which, remarkably, he has won before, two years ago.
However, he might have to wait for another day to scoop the pot as Richard Hannon’s runner Great Bedwyn has leading claims too. He hasn’t won since making a successful reappearance at York’s Dante meeting last year, but he has gone close a few times since, including when runner-up in two of his three starts this year after the handicapper had cut him some slack.
On his last start, Great Bedwyn ran well bidding to win that same race at York again but was denied by another well-treated rival, Master Builder, in an ultra-competitive renewal of that contest. Having made smooth headway in the straight, Great Bedwyn ran on to be beaten three quarters of a length, with the first three pulling clear. From a stable which had three winners last Saturday and a double at Sandown on Thursday night, Great Bedwyn should go well again.
Staying test to suit 'Horse In Focus' Hermetic
That same race which Great Bedwyn contested at York last time could well throw up another winner on this card as Hermetic, behind him in fourth, looks interesting stepping back up to two miles (18:15). That was the son of Sea The Stars’ first run for Ian Williams and he shaped promisingly on his first start for six months, being prominent throughout and leading briefly between the three- and the two-pole before Master Builder took over. That British debut in a race with plenty of depth earned Hermetic the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag.
A big, imposing type out of a half-sister to high-class miler Solow, Hermetic had joined his new connections for €105,000 last November. He had been trained in France by Christophe Ferland where he had raced only four times but won twice, including over two miles at Le Mans, so the return to that trip should suit.
Entered in the Northumberland Plate, Hermetic also heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and is taken to come out on top in this competitive staying event.
Thaluna the clear pick on ratings
The final event on the card is a fillies’ handicap over a mile (18:45) where unexposed three-year-old Thaluna has plenty going for her for ‘Hot Trainer’ William Haggas. She ran three times last year, getting off the mark at the second attempt in a novice at York in October but then finding listed company a bit too much at Newmarket on her final start.
All of Thaluna’s runs at two were over six furlongs but she made her reappearance back at Newmarket on 2000 Guineas day over seven furlongs and showed plenty of improvement over the longer trip on her handicap debut. She looked to relish the trip, in fact, getting outpaced two furlongs out but keeping on to take second close home, beaten three quarters of a length by the much more lightly-weighted winner Velvet Rhythm.
Thaluna gave the impression that further still will suit, so the step up to a mile looks in her favour here. Also, that Newmarket form is working out well, with the winner following up since and the sixth also winning next time. Just a 1 lb rise in the weights for Thaluna therefore looks lenient, and it puts her fully 4 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
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