Aegeus to score at Nottingham
Aegeus can step up on a hugely promising debut in the Peter Hudson (L’Espion) Birthday Novice Median Auction Stakes at Nottingham.
Amanda Perrett is not known for first-time-out winners, so the fact he was able to run such a good race on his debut recently bodes well.
Appearing at Bath over a mile, the son of First Defence went down by just a length to a Richard Hannon runner - who had the benefit of being a year older and already had a win under his belt.
That Aegeus was able to get within a length will have given Perrett plenty of hope, and a race such as this is surely a formality.
Nearooz can stretch her unbeaten run to three in the Introducing Racing TV Fillies’ Handicap.
Roger Varian has handed her an entry in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot - which given she is currently rated only 85, looks pretty fanciful at present.
She can not be much of a worker at home, because when she made her debut at Newmarket last October she was sent off a 20-1 chance - very unusual from this yard.
While she was a narrow winner that day, she confirmed it was no fluke when following up at Wolverhampton by over two lengths.
This represents a stiffer task, but she has done nothing wrong to date and her mark looks pretty lenient.
Andrew Balding’s Inclyne finished fourth to Nearooz at Newmarket and can win the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap.
This season she has finished a respectable fifth to Oaks fancy Maqsad before going close at Ascot last time out.
She appears to be getting the hang of it, and off 75 she has the scope to improve.
Voltaic has an obvious opportunity to break his duck at the sixth attempt in the Doves Playing Live Here 26th July Novice Median Auction Stakes at Brighton.
Paul Cole’s colt was a steady improver in novices and maidens last summer and autumn, and then returned with an encouraging fourth at Salisbury last month.
He did not seem to quite see out the stiff mile at Sandown last September, but the slight step back up in trip ought not to be a problem with another year on his back.
Alkaraama cost Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum $600,000 so will need to start winning soon if he is going to pay a fraction of that back.
He did, however, make a pleasing debut when third at Doncaster and can be expected to improve markedly for his first run.
With plenty of size to fill into, Sir Michael Stoute’s charge shaped with a great deal of promise and looks the one to be on in the JPR Roofing And Flooring Ltd Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton.
The Wicket Chicken can win in the Timber Engineering Novices’ Handicap Chase at Huntingdon.