Johnston hat-trick chaser to fore

racing: Weights rise and faster surface should not stop Burgonet

BURGONET can complete a quick-fire hat-trick in the feature event at Salisbury.

It will be exactly two months since Mark Johnston’s filly made her racecourse debut when she lines up in the British Stallion Studs EBF Margadale Fillies’ Handicap and this will be her fifth appearance.

The daughter of Helmet shaped with significant promise when runner-up on her Southwell introduction over an inadequate mile and she went very close to going one better at Beverley next time over a mile and a quarter, going down by just a short-head.

She was not winning out of turn when making it third time lucky at Newmarket last month and an opening mark of 80 underestimated her progress as she followed up 11 days later on her first start over a mile and a half at Leicester.

Burgonet is clearly versatile both ground-wise and distance-wise, so coming back to a mile and a quarter on a faster surface is not expected to be a major inconvenience.

A 4lb hike is unlikely to be enough to stop her striking gold again in this £20,000 contest.

SELECTIONS SALISBURY: 2.00 Urban Icon, 2.30 Wufud, 3.00 Jurz, 3.30 Irish Times, 4.00 BURGONET (NAP), 4.30 King Lud, 5.00 Ablaze, 5.30 Coverham.

THIRSK: 2.15 Ahlan Bil Emarati, 2.45 Lean On Pete, 3.15 Case Key, 3.45 Pepys, 4.15 Agincourt, 4.45 Ghost, 5.15 Cherry Oak, 5.45 Blue Havana.

DOUBLE: Burgonet and Urban Icon

FORM Fancies The Prof at Salisbury Best bet: DESERT CROSS (5.00). Each-way double: QUICK RECOVERY (3.30) and BOUNTY PURSUIT (5.30).