Mackaar can give Varian a victory
MACKAAR can strike on his return to the all-weather in the Try Our New Runner Boost At Unibet Handicap at Kempton.
Roger Varian’s four-year-old has raced exclusively on turf since last April, and has put up some decent performances in useful company.
Mackaar finished last year with two relatively uninspiring runs, however, and was gelded over the winter.
He showed more zip on his return at Newbury this month, before eventually fading into a fair fourth, and is back at the scene of his racecourse debut with cheek-pieces fitted for the first time by his in-form trainer.
This mile-and-a-half trip looks spot on for him, after showing plenty of stamina in his back-to-back novice wins at up to 10 furlongs at Wolverhampton and Lingfield before switching to the turf.
He has been dropped 2lb despite showing up well last time, and appears to have been given a fair chance to show his mettle in this grade.
In the opening British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes, Basilicata has a fine opportunity to break her duck at the second attempt on the basis of her initial second at Goodwood this month.
She lost by just a short-head that day, after making much of the running, and can take advantage of this second shot at level weights against a field of fellow maidens - including five debutantes.
Make Haste Slowly has, true to his name, already had to wait significantly longer to get home in front - but after two Flat placings this month, to add to two bumper runs last autumn, he may be in business in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Novice Stakes.
David Elsworth’s gelding stuck on well in second over this trip at Thirsk last time, and a similar effort may well be enough to get off the mark here.
Dargel has undergone a couple of procedures since he last ran, namely a gelding operation and wind surgery.
He was running fine without the assistance of either, despite failing to add to two mid-summer victories before the end of last season.
On the assumption they have nonetheless had a beneficial effect, he could return with a win off his unchanged mark in the Unibet Casino Deposit £10 Get £40 Bonus Handicap.
At Musselburgh, an Innings victory may not be achieved by quite the overwhelming margin it would designate in a Test match - but it could still be on the cards for Richard Fahey’s colt in the Good To Go On Racing TV Maiden Stakes.