Balding’s Winterwatch worth keeping an eye on at Catterick

Andrew balding has never had a winner at Catterick but can break his duck with Winterwatch in the Gaspara Asset Management Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

While a winner at the North Yorkshire track is unlikely to be on bald in g' s bucket list, trainers do like to be able to say they have hit the mark at every course.

Winterwatch has had two starts to date and been placed in both, suggesting he has enough ability to win a race of this nature. By the German sire Lord Of England, he made his debut on the Fibresand at Southwell, finishing third over a mile and three furlongs.

He was staying on to good effect behind his stablemate Moneykenny there and found himself next over a mile and a half at Leicester. On paper it looked a stronger race and Winterwatch tried to make all. While he was headed close home, he stuck to his task pleasingly and was only beaten a length with Chipping Away back in third – who had been second in the Southwell race, so winter watch clearly showed improvement.

If he improves a touch more again, he will prove hard to beat. Balding could also be on the mark at Bath with Roscioli in the Follow At The Races On Twitter Maiden Stakes.

A promising juvenile, Balding even ran him in the Horris Hill Stakes where he was only beaten four lengths by Mujbar. After finishing last off our on his reappearance he had his wind tweaked, but he was still beaten a long way next time out at Kempton. However, there were signs of a revival on his most recent outing at Windsor when third of 12, beaten less than two lengths by Lexington Knight. The handicapper left his mark alone so he should have every chance of going close again.

Roger Varian's Lady Fantasia is worth another chance in the Unibet/british Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at Kempton.

She was sent off a short price on her debut at Nottingham but could only finish sixth of 11. While it is not unusual for one from that yard to be well supported ahead of its debut, this was slightly surprising given her breeding. Lady Fantasia's sire is Decorated Knight, a 10-furlong horse, and her dam Lady Wingshot won a Group Three over seven furlongs. so while on breeding she was a likely type, to see her so well supported over five furlongs came as a shock. She ended up blowing the start, losing all chance there, but she can be expected to be a lot more tuned in for this.