Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Three points of interest
Anaisa stands out on form
Anaisa arrives in top form, thriving on her racing at present, and she very much stands out in the Virgin Bet Fillies’ Nursery (14:23) at Goodwood.
She had shaped better than the bare result in a valuable sales race at Newmarket the other weekend, faring best of those who raced in the unfavoured near-side group, and she duly proved herself better than ever when winning a listed event at Ripon just two days later on Bank Holiday Monday.
Admittedly, that race didn’t live up to expectations, with three of the biggest priced horses filling the places, but she’s an uncomplicated sort who is very much at the top of her game, and she looks extremely well treated back in a nursery under a 6lb penalty – she’s 7lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Novelista interesting taking on his elders
The Royal Sussex Regiment Handicap (16:08) at Goodwood looks a useful race on paper featuring some good stayers, but it is three-year-old Novelista who stands out now taking on his elders for the first time in handicaps.
He has been knocking on the door in some competitive three-year-old handicaps this season, all of his best efforts coming over a mile and three quarters, twice finishing runner-up at Haydock, and not disgraced in the ultra-competitive Melrose at York last time.
Novelista was well found in the market on that occasion, but shaped like a horse who is ready for a greater test of stamina, unable to pick up with the principals from two furlongs out.
He gets that now moving up to two miles for the first time in ground which will likely be testing and, given he had form on heavy ground last season, he looks very interesting taking his weight-for-age allowance into consideration.
Note Prescott handicap debutant
Sir Mark Prescott has a tremendous 45% strike rate with handicap debutants this season and Baikal is another horse of his to view positively in the Visit wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk To Book Now Fillies’ Handicap (18:45) at Wolverhampton.
She started a strong 13/8 favourite for her debut over a mile at Kempton in December, and she showed plenty of ability, leaving the impression she’d come on for the experience, but she didn’t improve as expected when beaten at odds-on a month later at Newcastle.
That was a slowly-run race which didn’t suit her, though, and a similar scenario transpired when finishing third on her qualifying run over this course and distance when last seen in February.
Baikal has been given plenty of time since and, while an opening mark of 70 isn’t necessarily a gift, she is quite clearly thought capable of much better than she’s shown so far, and better is expected now handicapping.
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