Joe Tuite's Dancer to step out at speed at Bath

– Fast Dancer can save the best until last today at Bath.

This five-year-old gelding has not won for over two years, but must have a grand chance in the concluding 1600m handicap on the seven-race card.

This year Fast Dancer has shown gradual progress and was perhaps unlucky not to strike at Brighton last month when he got to within a head of Honiara in a 1400m handicap.

He was then sent to Windsor a fortnight ago and turned in another satisfactory effort back over

London

1600m.

The gelded son of Fast Company finished third, beaten 0.75 lengths, but would probably have got closer to the main players had he not encountered traffic problems inside the final 400m.

Fast Dancer stayed on nicely once daylight appeared, and yet is still allowed to run in this moderate encounter off the same handicap mark.

That means he is still 0.5kg lower than when he last scored, so trainer Joe Tuite is right to head to Bath in an optimistic frame of mind.

Keep close tabs on Fumbo Jumbo in a 1000m handicap at Catterick.

Michael Dods’ inmate did pretty well for previous trainer Garry Moss and carried on the good work on her first start for her new handler.

She essentially had little chance against Tylery Wonder in the jumps jockeys’ “Nunthorpe” at York on 1 July, but Dods must have been really pleased by the manner in which she kept going for second spot.

Fumbo Jumbo can win a race like this off her current mark, but Callum Rodriguez’s 2.5kg claim will also come in very handy.

The four-year-old daughter of Zebedee will surely be fitter than at York, too, as that was her first outing since last October.

Moreover, any discernible ease in the ground will not be a bother for Fumbo Jumbo.

Hajjam can be trusted to run with honour at Leicester’s evening meeting.

Things did not go his way at Beverley last time when he could only finish fourth as the 5-2 favourite in a 1700m handicap.

There were extenuating circumstances, though, as they went no gallop whatsoever on the Westwood, while his path was also blocked inside the final 200m.

Hajjam had previously won nicely at Redcar and looks interesting as he reverts to 1400m in a handicap that is likely to contain more pace than at Beverley.

Ice Slice was a prolific winner last year and looks to be coming back to hand for a classified stakes at Lingfield. -