Fountain all set to star at Sandown

Dubai Fountain can maintain her unbeaten record in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Star Stakes at Sandown tomorrow.

Mark Johnston’s daughter of Teofilo has made the perfect start to her career, but has done it away from the spotlight.

She showed a likeable attitude to win on her debut at Doncaster when, despite not seemingly travelling as well as She Do a furlong out, she ended up pulling away to win by a length.

The runner-up franked the form subsequently so it was somewhat surprising when Dubai Fountain went to Haydock for a four-runner race and was not favourite.

Even if the market leader that day, Golden Melody, did not run to form, Dubai Fountain was still hugely impressive, winning by over eight lengths.

She has earned this step up in class, seven furlongs with a stiff finish should be ideal for her at this stage of her career and it would be no surprise to see her in the Fillies’ Mile at the end of the season.

Andrew Balding’s Diocletian cut no ice in the Ascot Stakes on his first run of the campaign but he was a stayer on the up last season.

With a run under his belt better can be expected in the Hampton Handicap.

Balding can double up with with Kafee in the finale, the Teddington Handicap.

He had just one run at two when down the field, but he must have been showing up well at home as he was sent off favourite on his reappearance over seven furlongs.

He ran well to be third, looking as if a step up in trip would suit, and over a mile last time out he won a Windsor maiden. Making his handicap debut off 82, he looks of interest still.

Peat Moss is an interesting runner for Nigel Hawke in division two of the Woolaston Handicap at Chepstow.

Lightly raced, this ex-Jim Bolger inmate showed up well on his hurdling debut recently.

That suggests a mark of just 50 back on the Flat could be workable, especially when bearing in mind he was not totally disgraced on his last start on the level over a mile and is back over 12 furlongs again. Leoncavallo was just touched off on his debut for David Pipe on the Flat but can show the benefit of that in the Watch On Racing TV Novices’ Chase at Stratford.

It was also his first run since a breathing operation, as well as leaving Dr Richard Newland, who did a good job with him.

Pipe was giving him a spin on the level to blow the cobwebs away, but if he had not wandered around he probably would have won pretty cosily. Newland only ran him over fences once and he did not look a natural, but in new hands that may all change.