Mariee can strike gold for Mark at Chelmsford
MARIEE has not got her head in front for over a year now but her consistency can finally pay off with victory at Chelmsford.
Mark Johnston’s charge has yet to finish out of the first four in 11 starts but it certainly does seem a long time since she struck gold twice in quick succession last January.
Those two victories saw the handicapper pitch her at a mark of 80 and she has stayed around that perch ever since, totting up five runs on the turf before Johnston opted to draw stumps in the early part of last summer.
Given a good break before returning at Kempton in January, Mariee was not beaten far on her 2017 debut and has run well twice more since, including when second last time out.
She ran over 10 furlongs that time but after struggling to hold her position at one stage, it is interesting that Johnston reverts to a mile for the totepool-sponsored handicap.
Celebration Day is worth noting as he returns from a lengthy absence in the mile-and-a-quarter handicap.
The four-year-old looked a nice possible staying type when winning over 10 furlongs as a juvenile but last season proved a complete write-off.
Well beaten in a Sandown handicap in April, he then trailed home last of five at Haydock in May before an- other last place at Goodwood in June saw Simon Crisford call time.
The fact he has not run since then suggests there was a real problem to be dealt with and he is a fascinating contender in this heat.
Kowaiyess hails from a fine family and can make it thirdtime lucky in the five-furlong maiden.
Third on his racecourse bow, he was then beaten just a short head at Bath last October and a repeat of that should be good enough.
Lady Turpin and Connor Murtagh appeared to strike up a good partnership when winning at Southwell last time, and they can repeat the trick in the Betway Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Murtagh appears an eminently capable rider and he got a good tune out of this filly when winning over 12 furlongs.
His 7lb claim is another handy addition to what is already a rosy picture.