Harbour can lay down the law at Ascot

RACING: Top weight should not stop Laura Mongan’s St Leger hero

Classic hero HARBOUR LAW should get the job done on his return to competitive action in the Longines Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Last season’s St Leger winner must give away weight to his seven rivals in this Group Three, but the powerfully-built animal still has a cracking chance.

It is only a year since the son of Lawman opened his account in a Salisbury maiden, after which he made breathless strides through the ranks.

Although he suffered defeat in both the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket, he was learning on the job and showed his true ability on Town Moor in September.

There is every hope he could have developed into an even better horse as a four-year-old.

Trainer Laura Mongan certainly thinks so, and now he gets the opportunity to prove it.

Frankel colt SEVEN HEAVENS can finally be trusted to do the business in the Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes.

John Gosden’s inmate is far from the most straightforward of animals but a drop in trip is expected to help.

The world looked his oyster when he won so stylishly at Goodwood and at Ascot last summer, but it all went a bit wrong in the Dewhurst at Newmarket.

Seven Heavens pulled way too hard for his own good and ended up finishing last behind Churchill.

It was a similar sort of story, but nowhere near as dramatic, on his return in a seven-furlong Listed race at Newmarket a fortnight ago.

He was again very keen, but at least showed a glimpse of his quality to finish third behind the very useful Whitecliffsofdover.

Seven Heavens is, at this stage of his career, not one to trust implicitly. But if the in-form Gosden’s decision to ditch the hood and try him back over six furlongs has an uplifting effect, he could become a reformed character.

He is also one of just three runners with the benefit of a run this season, which cannot possibly be a bad thing. Best bet at Pontefract could be

INTENSE ROMANCE, who runs in the Colonel And Mrs Padgett Handicap.

Michael Dods’ three-year-old was an eye-catcher at Ripon last time when she finished third in a six-furlong handicap. SELECTIONS: ASCOT: 2.00 Inviolable Spirit, 2.35 Glitter Girl, 3.10 HARBOUR LAW (NAP), 3.45 Seven Heavens, 4.20 Ennaadd, 4.55 Selection.

PONTEFRACT: 2.15 Jasi, 2.50 Mudaarab, 3.25 Gambit, 4.00 Melodic Motion, 4.35 Gin In The Inn, 5.10 Intense Romance, 5.45 Oriental Relation.

DOUBLE: Seven Heavens and Harbour Law.