Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Wednesday.
Three points of interest
History suggests Yarmouth maiden is one to follow
The British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (5.45) at Yarmouth on Wednesday evening sees seven intriguing fillies going to post and it’s a race that has been won by some good fillies in the past, for all it was run in June up until 2020.
Urban Fox and Soul Silver won divisions of the maiden in 2016, the former adding four further wins including the 2018 Pretty Polly Stakes and the latter’s subsequent wins including a handicap at Newbury (from a BHA mark of 88) and a conditions’ race at Chelmsford.
2018 winner Pretty Pollyanna won the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes two starts later, before adding the Group 1 Prix Morny the following month, while 2019 winner Summer Romance added wins at listed, Group 3 and Group 2 level before signing off her racing career with runner-up finishes in a brace of American Grade 1s.
2023 winner Queen’s Guard won a Kempton handicap (from 85) before finishing a close-up fourth from a mark of 90 for Iain Jardine at York in June, while last year’s winner Raneenn has also added a handicap from a similar perch (84).
In terms of this year’s renewal, 400,000 guineas purchase Zighy who was second here on debut holds arguably the best form of those who have already raced and should be suited by the extra furlong, though there was plenty of promise when Concert fared best of the newcomers when second to Lope El Fuego at Newbury last month.
Despite the appeal of both Coconut Cove and Halloween Lady (whose dam won on debut), Enha looks the pick of the debutantes, her dam Indigo Girl being a May Hill Stakes-winning sister to Journey. Notably, Indigo Girl won on her debut at Yarmouth in August. An omen, perhaps?
Another strong beginners' chase at Wexford
The Treo Ele Beginners Chase (6.07) at Wexford has a good rollcall of recent winners – including Cheltenham Festival regulars Rian in 2023 and Jazzy Matty in 2024 – and Wednesday’s renewal looks to have several contenders who could yet rank more highly over fences than they did over hurdles.
One of those is ‘Horse In Focus’ Speculatrix, a chasing debutante who was a winner at the track over hurdles and who was last seen finishing fourth in a mares’ listed hurdle at Cheltenham in April. She’s joined in the field by stable/owner-mate Harsh who has a wealth of chasing experience, some of which reads very well, but he is now looking a bit exposed and looks the second string on jockey bookings.
Rated 136+ by Timeform over hurdles, HMS Seahorse quickly matched that form when 1½ lengths second to Fine Margin over C&D on his chasing debut last month, while the enigmatic front-runner Mr Escobar is 125§ over the smaller obstacles but looks the type who could step forward again if allowed his head over fences. Indeed, with a tongue-tie added to his usual hood, he could take some catching if taking to the discipline on his first attempt.
Battle of the Horses In Focus
It’s rare that a seemingly run-of-the-mill handicap over jumps – especially in summer - would have more than one Horse In Focus in the field, but Wexford’s Tote Handicap Chase at 6.42 has three such examples on display on Wednesday evening.
Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings suggest that Finnian’s Row has marginally the best chance, the nine-year-old having finished with plenty of running left on his return to action over two miles at the track last month in a race won by fellow HIF Crowsatedappletart.
Finnian’s Row is 1 lb above Michael Winters’ thriving eight-year-old Crowsatedappletart who has improved of late for the re-fitting of cheekpieces. The last-named had to dig deep to follow up his C&D win here over shorter last time but may yet have more to offer.
The third and final HIF is Birdsandthebees. He doesn’t always find as much as looks likely but shaped well on his return to action at Tipperary last time and the drop back to this shorter trip shouldn’t be an inconvenience.
Clearly, with nine other rivals, this is far from a three-horse-race but it wouldn’t be a great surprise to see at least two of the three fighting out the finish.
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