The Scotsman

Firelight can be a bright spark for punters in Salisbury fillies’ stakes

- By GLENDALE

Firelight sets a standard that will be tough to match in the Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury.

The daughter of Oasis Dream shaped with abundant promise on her debut over five furlongs in June, looking as though a step up in distance would see her in an even better light.

That theory was borne out as she opened her account over six furlongs at Kempton on her second start, albeit narrowly, and followed up at Newmarket early last month.

She faced a significan­t hike in class when contesting the Lowther Stakes at York a fortnight ago, but was far from disgraced in finishing fourth behind the highly-regarded Fairyland.

Andrew Balding’s filly was beaten just two lengths on the Knavesmire and may well have finished closer in a more strongly-run race.

Either way, the experience will not have been lost on her and this Listed event looks a fine opportunit­y for her to gain a black type victory.

Goodnight Girl can lift the European Bloodstock News EBF “Lochsong” Fillies’ Handicap.

The three-year-old will have to defy a career-high mark of 90 if she is to triumph here, but she is seemingly on an upward trajectory this term.

A three-times winner already this year, Goodnight Girl was just outstayed last time but should not be written off back at a track where she has performed well previously.

West End Charmer could be the star of the show at Haydock as he contests the 32Red.com EBF Novice Stakes.

The Nathaniel colt finished last of eight runners on his introducti­on at Glorious Goodwood, but the fact trainer Mark Johnston ran him at a high-profile meeting he generally targets is perhaps indicative of the regard in which he is held.

He dropped into an eminently more winnable event at Windsor little over a week later and won in the style of a horse with the talent to hold his own at a much higher level at some stage.

This novice event looks an ideal stepping-stone to a more lofty end-of-season target.

Bugler Bob can make it third-time lucky in the Watch Racing UK On BT TV Novice Auction Stakes at Carlisle.

John Quinn’s juvenile was runner-up to the Ventura Storm on his Pontefract debut, a horse who is now rated 91, so it was no surprise to see him sent off a short-priced favourite over this course and distance on his second start little over a fortnight ago .

While it was a shade disappoint­ing that he came up short, he certainly did not disgrace himself in finishing third and he will not need to improve much to win a race of this nature.

Fresh Terms can complete a hat-trick for Ralph Beckett in the Bet totetrifec­ta At totesport.com Handicap at Chelmsford.

The jumping fare today comes from Sedgefield, where County Meath-based Gordon Elliott has several good chances including High Expectatio­ns, who looks to have been found a winnable opportunit­y in the Alice Bendle Handicap Hurdle.

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