Watan can benefit from drop in class to get back on track
– Watan has been given a break since finding the Solario Stakes too darn hot but he should be able to dominate his rivals in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Leicester.
Richard Hannon's juvenile arrived on the scene at Glorious Goodwood when making a stylish winning debut and he looked a top prospect.
His next stop was the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York over 1400m and while he briefly threatened to come with a winning run, it ultimately flattened out and he was beaten 1.5 lengths by Phoenix Of Spain.
There was obviously no disgrace
London
in that, though, the winner has franked that form since, but he was expected to put up a better display at Sandown in the Solario.
At the time none of us knew quite what he was taking on against Too Darn Hot, but even still, he only managed to beat one home.
That was his third run in quite a short spell so Hannon wisely backed off him and has lowered his sights for this.
Orchid Killer has shown up well for Archie Watson in two runs to date and sets the standard in the Cossington EBF Fillies' Novice Median Auction Stakes.
She has finished third and Catterick and Chelmsford already and while neither of those two races were high class affairs, she has shown enough to suggest a race of this nature could be within her grasp.
Michael Dods has enjoyed another fantastic season and the Group 1-winning stable should be celebrating again with Pendleton in the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Redcar.
He runs in the red silks that were carried to glory in the Prix de l'Abbaye by Mabs Cross this month and the yard could have another smart sprinter on their hands if his debut was anything to go by.
Like many from the yard he looked pretty green early on but once the penny dropped he fairly flew home.
He proved there that he handles cut in the ground and looks a Leicester (UK) Mon Race 1 @ 14:15 sure-fire future winner.
Karl Burke's Collect Call should be able to break her duck in the Bet toteexacta At totesport.com Fillies' Novice Stakes at Chelmsford.
She was beaten just a head by Aldana last time out and that one looks way better than the average all-weather horse.
Collect Call is rated 84 and gets 3kg from the 87-rated Winter Light who is the main danger.
Nicky Richards' Deriana Spirit showed some decent form in bumpers and that makes her the one to beat in the Western House Mares' Maiden Hurdle at Ayr. –