Pears can crown reopening of Catterick course with a double

Racing returns to Catterick for the first time since the shutdown today, and Ollie Pears could have a good day with both Crown Princess and Christmas Night.

Crown Princess made a very pleasing debut at Beverley three weeks ago when third.

The Mehmas filly was sent off the rank outsider at 66-1 in an 11-runner field, but made a mockery of those odds, showing up well the whole race.

Beaten just over two lengths by the well-bred Brazen Belle and Miss Milby, who has been second again since to give the form some context, Crown

Princess can be expected to improve for her first run.

She was drawn widest of all on the Westwood, but showed good early speed and then tenacity in the closing stages when it would have been easy to fold.

Pears must have been delighted and while she is taking on the boys this time, Crown Princess is getting weight from all her rivals in the Every Race Live On Racingtv Novice Auction Stakes.

Christmasnightwasanother to run a big race for Pears first time out this season when second of 10 at Thirsk.

Since undergoing a wind operation, he has been far more consistent barring one effort at Newcastle, but that was the second time he has disappointed there so he might just not like the Tapeta at Gosforth Park.

He is thoroughly exposed these days, but gets to run in the Skeeby Handicap off the same mark as at Thirsk.

Boom The Groom might not be the force he once was, but he is handicapped to win the Swineford Handicap at Bath.

Tony Carroll’s speedster was once rated as high as 107 and he carved out a real niche for himself on the all-weather.

He has never been quite as effective on turf, but does have three wins to his name on grass and is rated the same as on artificial surfaces these days.

He is now a nine-year-old, but ran respectably when fourth of eight on his return to action at Chelmsford following the shutdown.

Dropped 2lb for that to 77, he has only once been so low in the weights, when second at Lingfield.

There was a time when Ed Vaughan would have hoped

Magic J would be been contesting a different class of race to the Sky Sports Racing On Sky 415 Handicap at Wolverhampton.

The Scat Daddy colt beat the classy sprinter Swindler on his debut and went to Newcastle for his first run at three in the Burradon Stakes, seen by some as an early Classic trial.

While only beaten six lengths by Fox Power, he did not reappear until third at the same track in September and he filled the same spot at Southwell afterwards.

First time out this season, though, he was runner-up at Newmarket, suggesting there is still some fun to be had and while no match for Bungee Jump there, he could easily outclass his rivals in this one.