No resting on Laurens as Burke eyes Haydock boost with Lord Oberon
Karl Burke has a big weekend in prospect with Laurens lining up on Champions Day and Lord Oberon can ensure the yard heads to Ascot on a high by triumphing at Haydock.
The three-year-old has been pretty consistent in his five starts to date, winning twice and placing on the other three occasions, most recently when second at this track last month.
Returning from 162 days off the track, Lord Oberon only lost out by a neck over six furlongs to a race-fit rival off a career-high mark of 85.
The handicapper has hiked him a further 4lb for that effort, but he appears relatively unexposed at this stage and could have a fair bit in the locker still for the Racing UK Handicap.
It is worth keeping faith with Across The Sea in the Racing Welfare Nursery Handicap. James Tate’s youngster won nicely on her penultimate start – her handicap debut – when beating Elsaabiqaat by two and a quarter lengths.
The pair reopposed next time out at Sandown, but while Elsaabiqaat gained her revenge on much better terms, Tate’s filly – only two and a bit lengths in arrears of the topnotch Pretty Pollyanna on her debut – beat just one home. That was clearly not her running and she is given another chance.
Muthanaa is the pick in the Harvey Lane Novice Stakes.
Roger Fell purchased this Poet’s Voice gelding for just £2,500 in August and he made a decent stab of his on his first racecourse outing, finishing a half-length second as a 33-1 shot in a fair maiden.
Muthanaa hails from the family of Group One winner Aqlaam and he could turn out to be something of a bargain buy for his shrewd handler.
City Tour should feel the benefit of his racecourse debut when he lines up in the Oakmere Homes EBF Novice Stakes. He showed his inexperience both in the paddock and during the race, so it is certainlytohiscreditthathemanaged to get within a length of victory that day at Ayr.
Mark Johnston’s runner ought to be wiser for the outing and has shown he can handle testing ground, too.