Waldkonig can make winning return in Pontefract handicap

One-time Classic hope Waldkonig is an intriguing contender as he kicks off his campaign in the Go Racing In Yorkshire Handicap at Pontefract.

A Kingman half-brother to Arc victor Waldgeist, Waldkonig looked a potential world-beater on his racecourse bow, winning by nine lengths doing the proverbial handstands at Wolverhampton.

John Gosden was clearly keen to test his Derby credentials as he dropped him straight into the Listed Newmarket Stakes on his return last June - and while his initial defeat as an odds-on favourite was disappointing, the subsequent exploits of winning stablemate Mishriff put that run in a whole new light.

Good to firm ground did not appear to suit on that occasion and while he shaped with more promise on good ground at Haydock next time, he again bumped into a smart colt in Highest Ground, who was only narrowly beaten in the Dante.

Waldkonig has been off the track since that run and he is on a high enough mark of 101 to start in handicap company, but this looks a decent starting point for a horse who hails from a family that seemingly improves with age. Uncle Jumbo was knocking on the door in ultra-competitive sales races last term, with a similar level of form surely good enough in the Racing TV On Sky Channel 426 Handicap.

He pocketed some nice paydays in finishing fourth at York and third at Doncaster before trailing home last at Redcar, when perhaps a combination of autumn ground and a campaign that began in June went against him. A promising allweather third in February marked something of a return to form and showed his mark of 94 is not far wrong.

Vintager can make the most of having his sights lowered a shade in the chelmsfordcityracecourse.com Handicap at the Essex venue.

The six-year-old won a German Group Two in 2019 for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, before joining Simon and Ed Crisford last year.

Vintager made a winning start for his new connections at Chantilly in December, since when he has finished fourth in a conditions race at Newcastle and fourth again behind Bangkok in the Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield.

The son of Mastercraftsman reverts to handicap company for the first time since finishing a close-up third at Newmarket a couple of years ago off a mark of 110. His current perch of 102 looks attractive to say the least.