DOUBLE HANDFUL

WE’VE arrived at that time of the year when everything starts to get slightly more depressing. Daylight starts disappearing, temperatures drop sharply, it rains all day and another series of Strictly Come Dancing is inflicted upon us.

Any horse I remotely consider backing today must have won on soft or heavy ground. Ideally, I’d like it to have webbed feet.

There’s an important difference between weather and horses — one is reined in and the other rains down.

Either way, one horse that looks like it’s got going ng and course in his favour is s CAPE BYRON, who runs in the Group 3 Bengough Stakes over six furlongs at Ascot. Roger Varian’s six-year-old bolted up to win this race last year in similar conditions.

He’s raced 17 times in total, eight of those runs have been at the Berkshire track with four ending in victory.

He runs well fresh, as he proved when winning the Victoria Cup at Ascot on his first run of last season.

The market will tell you The Tin Man is his main danger, which has to be an encouraging omen for Cape Byron backers. James Fanshawe’s gelding is eight now, pretty old in sprinter terms, and he’s failed to win any of his last nine races.

The preceding race, the

Cha Challenge Cup (3.05) over se seven furlongs looks a much more open affair. RAISING SAND fits the same profile as Cape Byron – another mud lover and course specialist with four ca career wins being reg registered at Ascot.

He w won this race two years ago, but was 10lb lower in the ratings. Jamie Osborne has booked his daughter Saffie to ride and she takes 7lb off. Given the conditions and location of the race it’s difficult to see Raising Sand finishing out of the frame. He did flop last time out back here at Royal Ascot in the Hunt Cup but that was on good ground.