Mind made up to defy penalty at Catterick

Changeofmind looks good enough to defy a penalty in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Novice Stakes at Catterick.

A difficult horse to weigh up, he nevertheless looked above average when he won his only start to date at Chester.

Declan Carroll is not necessarily known for his first time out juvenile winners so it bodes well for this Sioux Nation colt that he was so clued up for his debut.

Chester is not an easy place for a first run – plenty do not handle the tight turns at all – but he ran around the Roodee as if on rails, looking very professional in making all the running.

He did not beat just anything, either. He turned over an odds-on favourite in Silencer, then trained by Richard Hannon and who had his first run for Charlie Fellowes in Qatar recently.

Now while Silencer is an eight-race maiden, he is rated 93 having finished fourth to Streets Of Gold in a valuable nursery at York. Tom Dascombe’s Felix Natalis was fifth and he went on to win a big sales race at Naas.

Changeofmind has to give 7lb to William Haggas’ 72-rated High Ovation, but it will be slightly underwhelming if he fails to do so.

Tim Easterby’s horses generally need a run at this time of year so Premier Option can be taken to improve for a satisfactory first outing when he returns to Catterick for the Bet At racingtv.com Handicap.

Third over course and distance a couple of weeks ago, he showed that day soft ground is no barrier to him.

Second twice as a juvenile, he still looks unexposed and could be a fun horse for the stable.

Pam Sly’s Special Mayson is the pick in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Handicap.

A half-brother to the useful mare Eileendover, he is from a family that tend to improve with age.

Subsequent events have shown Simon and Ed Cisford’s Inverlochy faced quite a tough task on her debut up against Mawj.

The Saeed bin Suroortrained filly went on to win a Group Two and finish third in the Cheveley Park having won on her debut at HQ.

Inverlochy never ran again but the second, Believing, is now rated in the 90s and even the third has shown useful form so finishing fourth was no disgrace.

She is a half-sister to Charlie Appleby’s very useful Ottoman Fleet so better can be expected this season, starting in the Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Lingfield.

Carnfunnock looks the one to beat in the British EBF BetVictor Gold Castle ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle at Perth.