A STOUTE RETURN

Racing’s knight makes a sharp start to the season

Combative was always in a good position under Jim Crowley in the 1m2f maiden (6.15) and was a tidy winner from fellow newcomer Regicide, who also shaped with a deal of promise.

Pure Art didn’t put the same amount of distance between himself and his rivals in the 7f maiden, but probably had a deal in hand at the finish under a confident Fran Berry (7.15). She’s a half-sister to Derby and St Leger-placed Romsdal and will stay further and win more races.

21 APRIL

Following trainers closely doesn’t just involve studying and backing horses from the given stable.

I have begun following Sir Michael Stoute following a fine start to the season.

He had the promising Arab Poet in the three-year-old handicap over an extended 7f at Beverley (2.50) today.

Rather than getting annoyed that he couldn’t justify long odds-on in running having shaped with a promising challenge a furlong out, why not mark up the winner, Garcia, highly and put him high on the list of horses to follow?

Good enough to win aYork maiden in his first season, Garcia finished with a right flourish here, and is the type to land a big handicap for Richard Fahey.

22 APRIL

Plenty of high-class horses in action at Sandown, including Stoute’s highlyregarded Derby prospect Midterm, who did it nicely in the Bet365 Classic Trial considering this was only his second outing. At a lesser level, Lucy Wadham’s newcomer Taffeta Lady shaped with great promise when third in the 1m2f fillies maiden (4.35). She will surely do better over longer distances.

Over at Doncaster,John Gosden’s lightly-raced colt Remarkable produced a tremendous late run to win a competitivelooking 6f handicap having shown signs of inexperience early in the race (3.55).He’s worn blinkers on his last two starts and will need an end-to-end gallop if he’s to continue starting slowly, but the talent is there.

23 APRIL

Stoute again. Recent Pontefract maiden winner Du Moto looked Royal Ascot material when a decisive winner on handicap debut at Leicester (3.25) and the heavilybacked Forge won the 1m2f maiden in tremendous style on Doncaster’s evening card (6.35).

Back at Leicester, it was slightly surprising to see Wowcha making her