Just the job at Lingfield
JUST US TWO can bounce back from his defeat last time out by lifting the Betway Dash Handicap at Lingfield.
Robert Cowell’s charge has not seen too much action for a five-yearold and with just 15 starts under his belt, it would be fair to say there might still be a bit of improvement to be eked out of this runner.
A winner on his final juvenile start in 2014 and then on his three-yearold reappearance the following year, Just Us Two had a lengthy wait for another victory before finally hitting the mark at Newcastle at the beginning of the month.
Having shown up well in a competitive Lingfield heat on his return this year, it was not the biggest surprise to see him switch up a gear on the to win at Newcastle in a similar event to this.
Raised 4lb for that win, Just Us Two was then robbed of second on the line by the reopposing Stepper Point at Chelmsford after not getting the best of runs.
The Royal Applause gelding is clearly in fine heart and can regain the winning thread.
Tartan Bute has paid for some consistent performances with a rise up the weights, but he should still be competitive in the Betway Stayers Handicap.
A winner over two miles at this track in early March, he found himself a bit outpaced when switching back to a mile and six furlongs at Wolverhampton just a week later.
The return to a longer distance here must be a positive factor.
Multicultural has some way to go to justify her Irish Oaks entry, but she should be good enough in the 32Red Casino Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle.
She shaped with promise when fourth in a Newmarket maiden at the back-end of last season and can pick up where she left off.
Rouquine Sauvage returns from a lengthy lay off in the bet365.com Handicap Chase at Fontwell but is definitely one for the shortlist.
The nine-year-old has three career victories to his name so far, with his most recent verdict coming over hurdles back in February 2015.
He has since switched to fences for Anthony Honeyball but has hardly set the world alight, with his best results being placed efforts at Lingfield in December 2015 and Ffos Las in November of last year, in what is his most recent start.
That lack of success has seen him slide down the ratings a bit though and, lining up on a mark of 105 on not quite such testing winter ground, he makes some appeal. (188)JGallagher9-9 ..................... MDwyer (17) M Attwater 9-7 (D) ....... W Carson (36) R Fahey 9-5 (D) ..................... T Hamilton (43) Dr J Scargill 9-4 (CD) .................... L Morris (198) I Furtado 9-3 (BF) .............. S De Sousa (160) M Channon 9-2 ....... G Downing (27) J S Moore 8-9 ......................... L Keniry BETTING: 11-4 Right Action, 3 Peachey Carnehan, 7-2 Porto Ferro, 9-2 Sword Exceed, 10 Quench Dolly, 12 Stringybark Creek, 16 Allegheny Bay.
14-1 Towards rear, headway over 1f out, ridden inside final furlong, kept on to take 2nd place towards finish, 2nd of 11, 1 1/2l behind Doctor Sardonicus at Chelmsford City 5f hcp 0-95 (3) pol.
5-1 Prominent, ridden inside final furlong, kept on same pace, 3rd of 11, 2l behind Doctor Sardonicus at Chelmsford City 5f hcp 0-95 (3) pol.
25-1 Chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, kept on same pace, 4th of 11, 2 1/2l behind Doctor Sardonicus at Chelmsford City 5f hcp 0-95 (3) pol. 12-1 Close up, ridden over 1f out, no impression, last of 5, 4 1/2l behind Flowers On Venus at Lingfield 6f clm stks 0-65 (6) pol.
14-1 In touch on outside, ridden inside final 2f, lost place over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 8th of 10, 6l behind Verne Castle at Lingfield 5f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Feb. Nathan Evans (3) Kenny Johnson 5 9-4 ............... Sammy Jo Bell (3) (21) D Thompson 4 9-4 ............. P Mulrennan (35) J J Quinn 4 9-3 (BF, D) ....................... J Hart J O’Keeffe 7 9-1 ............................... J Garritty (16) Kenny Johnson 4 9-0 ................. D Costello (217) F Watson 9 8-13 (D) ................... G Lee P Kirby 4 8-10 ........................................... P Aspell (9) S Corbett 5 8-8 ........................... T Ladd (7) (9) D Thompson 6 8-6 ............................. A Mullen BETTING: 11-4 Up Ten Down Two, 3 Mazaaher, 11-2 Tred Softly, 10 Rajapur, Toola Boola, 12 Akavit, Psychology, Lord Rob, 16 Others. ACADIAN ANGEL (16) J J Quinn 3 9-0 ........................... J Hart DAVINCI DAWN (267) Mrs A Duffield 3 9-0 ................... S Gray DUSKY MAID (8) J Given 3 9-0 ................................. A Mullen ENGLAND EXPECTS K Burke 3 9-0 ........................... C Lee (5) FORTUITIES (221) J O’Keeffe 3 9-0 .......................... J Garritty MULTICULTURAL (153) J Tate 3 9-0 ................ Martin Harley NAVAJO GREY M Appleby 3 9-0 ............................. B A Curtis NONNIE AND NORNY (13) S A Harris 3 9-0 ................. T Eaves ROYAL FLUTE (111) M Walford 3 9-0 ...................... D Costello SULAFAH (16) S G West 3 9-0 ........................... Paula Muir (7) THE SKY IS BLAZING W Haggas 3 9-0 .................. P Cosgrave BETTING: 9-4 The Sky Is Blazing, 7-2 Multicultural, 4 Acadian Angel, 8 Sulafah, 10 Fortuities, Dusky Maid, 12 England Expects, 20 Navajo Grey, 25 Others. (181) Mrs R Carr 6 10-3 (D2) ............ J P Sullivan (27) J Goldie 7 10-0 (C4, D) ................... S James (199) Mrs R Carr 6 9-13 (D4) .............................. T Eaves (154) S G West 6 9-11 (CD) ................................ J Hart (16)GHarker79-11(D2) .................... DAllan (175) K McLintock 4 9-9 ............... D Nolan (16) M Dods 6 9-6 ....................... P Mulrennan (30) S Bowring 6 9-5 (C) .......................... B A Curtis (154) N Tinkler 4 9-5 ........ L Edmunds (5) (16) Roger Fell 4 9-4 (C) .................... P McDonald (20) Robert Stephens 3 8-13 (CD) BETTING: 7-2 Foolaad, 4 Athollblair Boy, 6 Tadaawol, 7 Amood, 8 Testa Rossa, Espresso Freddo, 12 Trinity Star, Abushamah, 14 Others.
9-4fav Tracked leaders, ridden and unable to quicken 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, went 3rd near finish, 3rd of 10, 4l behind Midtech Star at Wolverhampton 1m 6f hcp 0-85 (4).
15-2 With leader, led after 2f, headed over 1f out, rallied and every chance inside final furlong, just failed, 2nd of 11, nk behind Pointel at Nottingham 1m 6f hcp (4) gd in Oct. 40-1 Mid-division, ridden and headway on inside over 2f out, stayed on from over 1f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, led towards finish, won at Lingfield 1m 5f hcap 0-70 (5) pol in Feb beating Pinwood by 1 1/4l, 9 ran. 11-2 Held up in last pair, not much room 4f out, effort when not clear run and switched right over 2f out, unable to quicken over 1f out, stayed on to take 3rd close home, no impression, 3rd of 6, 7l behind Byron Flyer at Lingfield 2m hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Feb.
4-1 Chased leaders, effort when not clear run over 1f out, kept on under pressure, 2nd of 7, 1l behind Vosne Romanee at Wolverhampton 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) in Feb. 20-1 Held up mid-division, weakened over 3f out, last of 9, 15l behind Duke Street at Chelmsford City 2m hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Feb. PRAZERES (25) J L Eyre 9-9 .......................................... J Hart LITTLE MISS DAISY (51) W Muir 9-9 (D2) ........ L Edmunds (5) SUWAAN (216) Mrs R Carr 9-7 ............................... J P Sullivan DONTFORGETTOCALL (140) J Tuite 9-6 ........... Oisin Murphy OCEAN PRINCESS (166) M Dods 9-6 .................. P Mulrennan BILLY’S BOOTS (6) J R Jenkins 9-2 (D) ...................... F Norton EMERALD SECRET (187) P Midgley 9-1 ......................... G Lee MAJESTIC STONE (14) Julie Camacho 8-10 ............ Joe Doyle SLAVE TO FREEDOM (105) Mrs A Duffield 8-9 .......... J Haynes VIOLET MIST (28) B Haslam 8-7 ............................... C Hardie FLYING HOPE (32) N Tinkler 8-7 .............................. A Mullen DULCINA (147) R P McNamara (IRE) 8-7 ..................... S James BETTING: 4 Little Miss Daisy, 9-2 Prazeres, 6 Billy’s Boots, 7 Ocean Princess, 8 Dontforgettocall, 10 Flying Hope, Emerald Secret, 12 Dulcina, 14 Others. ORIENT CLASS (38) P Midgley 6 9-9 (D6) .................. C Lee (5) POPPY IN THE WIND (27) A Brown 5 9-8 (CD3)...Josh Doyle (5) ART COLLECTION (177) Mrs R Carr 4 9-8 (D) .......... J P Sullivan LUCKY BEGGAR (157) D C Griffiths 7 9-8 (D3) .............. D Allan LYDIA’S PLACE (198) R C Guest 4 9-7 (D3) ................ D Costello SWIRRAL EDGE (149) D Brown 4 9-7 (D) ........... Oisin Murphy EXTRASOLAR (22) G Harker 7 9-7 (D4) ....................... S James ROYAL BRAVE (29) Rebecca Bastiman 6 9-5 (CD)... P McDonald BERLIOS (30) T D Barron 4 9-5 (BF, D) ........................ P Makin YOU’RE COOL (36) J Balding 5 9-4 (D3) ............. L Edmunds (5) WILLBEME (63) N Bycroft 9 9-2 (D) ............. Ben Robinson (7) IT MUST BE FAITH (35) M Appleby 7 9-0 (BF, D2) .... B A Curtis INDIAN PURSUIT (16)JJQuinn48-11(CD) .................. JHart AMBITIOUS ICARUS (16) R C Guest 8 8-10 (CD3) .... C Beasley BETTING: 5 You’re Cool, 11-2 Indian Pursuit, 6 It Must Be Faith, 7 Berlios, Ambitious Icarus, 8 Poppy In The Wind, 12 Orient Class, Royal Brave, 14 Others.