Helm to hold sway at Lingfield
Take The Helm could hold all the aces in the Sun Racing Handicap at Lingfield tomorrow after a recent impressive return from a lengthy absence.
Brian Meehan’s charge was good enough to win the apprentice event on All-Weather Finals day in the spring and again performed with honour when second at Chelmsford before embarking on a summer break.
Another crack at the Good Friday feature looks an obvious shout for Meehan to make with the six-yearold, so it must have been heartening to see him finish third on his first start for 240 days at Lingfield just under a week ago.
Take The Helm was found out in the finish that day after racing keenly in the early stages, but that run should have put a racing edge on him now.
Redemptive has placed on her two starts so far for David Elsworth but can improve on that in the Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Handicap.
Third behind Reeth on her first start for the yard, she improved to second behind that rival on her most recent run - although she was on 8lb better terms.
Reeth is not in the mix here, so that is one hurdle fewer for Redemptive off an unchanged mark.
Favori Royal was not a cheap recruit at 240,000 guineas, and he failed to live up to his price tag when a well-beaten fourth on his racecourse bow for Archie Watson.
However, the gelding looked thoroughly green when making that belated three-year-old debut just before Christmas - and the experience should not be wasted on him.
Watson will surely have been working to rectify his tardy start in time for the Betway Novice Stakes, and it would be no surprise if Favori Royal could make a suitable leap forward.
Woverhampton stages a race bearing the same name - over five furlongs rather than six - and Kadiz can get her head in front at last.
Richard Hughes’ charge failed to hit the target in 10 starts as a juvenile last term, but she really did not enjoy too much luck when beaten a length and a half in third on her final start of 2018.
She was a bit keen early, but looked to be producing a decent challenge when checked for room and forced to switch path, costing her valuable momentum.
If she gets a clear run this time, Kadiz should make her mark.
Fusil Raffles is pitched in at a decent level on his British bow as he contests the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon.
He will be making his first start for Nicky Henderson, having previously been trained in France by Guillaume Macaire - for whom he won one of his two starts back in July.
You can always count on French recruits to be well conditioned in the jumping department - and if Fusil Raffles is fit for action, he can stake a claim for higher honours in due course.