The Citizen (Gauteng)

Line Of Reason can rediscover winning trail at Leicester

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– Just three runners go to post today at Leicester for the £15,000 EBF Stallions Prestwold Conditions Stakes, but it does not lack intrigue, with the vastly-experience­d Line Of Reason taken on by a couple of three-year-olds in Equilatera­l and Sarshampla.

Equilatera­l looked a potential star when winning on his reappearan­ce at Doncaster in the spring, but has since finished well-beaten in the Commonweal­th Cup at Royal Ascot and the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.

The Charlie Hills-trained youngster drops in distance and class for this five-furlong heat, but the admirable Line Of Reason might just outfox him.

Paul Midgley's stable stalwart is a veteran of 80 races with 11 victories and you can pretty much set your watch by him.

London

There is nothing to suggest his powers are on the wane, with his recent fourth place behind Take Cover in the Beverley Bullet a more than respectabl­e effort.

With Callum Rodriguez claiming a very handy 1.5kg, Line Of Reason and Equilatera­l are closely matched on the book and experience is expected to triumph over youth on this occasion.

Rebel Assault might be the answer to the High Leicesters­hire Handicap.

After placing on three of her previous four starts, Mark Johnston's filly was not winning out of turn when striking gold at Musselburg­h just a fortnight ago.

She has only been raised 0.5kg to mark of 88 and considerin­g she began the campaign rated in the high 90s, it will be disappoint­ing if she is not competitiv­e again.

Gratified rates the best bet of the afternoon at Catterick.

Third on his Yarmouth debut in July for Hugo Palmer, the gelded son of Society Rock changed hands just a couple of days later for the relatively modest fee of 21,000 guineas.

He made a winning debut for Archie Watson at Lingfield and backed that up with a really solid effort to finish second on his return to Yarmouth, conceding lumps of weight to a higherrate­d rival in the winner, Choco Box.

Gratified makes his handicap debut off a mark of 77 in the Get So Much More With Racing UK Handicap and a bold bid looks assured.

Jash made a huge impression on his racecourse introducti­on at Newmarket and can follow up in the William Hill Radio Novice Stakes at Salisbury.

Simon Crisford's juvenile was heavily backed into short-priced favouritis­m on the July Course and that support proved well founded as he ran out a dominant winner.

The form looks sound, with the fourth home Jack's Point winning since and the fifth, Kamikaze Lord, was only narrowly denied at Ascot racecourse on Saturday.

Jash holds an entry in the Middle Park Stakes and if he can keep his unbeaten record intact in style at Salisbury, he could well come into the equation for that Group One contest.

Jumping fare comes from Worcester, where Dear Sire can reward those who keep the faith in the Charles Stanley Financial Planning Novices' Chase.

Donald McCain's charge looked set to make it two from two over fences at Cartmel when falling two from home last month and this looks a good opportunit­y for him to recoup those losses. –

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 ??  ?? CHARLIE HILLS.
CHARLIE HILLS.

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