Labyrinth is no puzzle

● Queen’s filly looks a straighforward bet at Salisbury

Supporting Labyrinth at Salisbury will not allow punters the option of early retirement but she should nonetheless be followed with interest.

The Queen’s filly, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, enjoyed the step up to a mile at Newmarket on her most recent outing and will take the beating in the CPA Scaffolding Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Unraced as a juvenile, this three-year-old daughter of Lawman made an accomplished debut in a seven-furlong maiden at Kempton in May, when beaten less than a length into fourth. Suitably impressed, Stoute then made the obvious call to go up to a mile for a fillies’ maiden at Newmarket, for which she was sent off the 9-4 favourite.

Labyrinth did not win, but she travelled nicely from the outset and gave no inkling whatsoever that this sort of trip was not her thing.

It could well be, too, that the winner that day, Dazzling Rose, is above average.

As well might Labyrinth, who had some six lengths to spare over the third horse that crossed the line at Newmarket.

Victory at Salisbury will make nobody rich, but it should be a formality if she is in a similar frame of mind.

La Casa Tarifa cannot go unbacked in the toteplacepot Six Places In Six Races Nursery Handicap at Chelmsford.

Mark Johnston’s bonny filly absolutely sluiced home in a decent maiden at Beverley last week and has the stature to easily handle a 6lb penalty.

A filly with lots of scope and size, the two-year-old daughter of Casamento will have no issues with this return to six furlongs.

It will be interesting to see how Loumarin gets on at Catterick.

Mick Appleby’s filly is rated vastly inferior on the turf compared to the all-weather, but she made a little progress in July and that should definitely be taken into account.

Seventh on her seasonal bow in a five-furlong sprint at Doncaster, Loumarin then raced with a shade more earnest at Nottingham two weeks later.

The daughter of Bushranger finished quickly to take third spot behind Oriental Relation yet has been relieved of another 3lb ahead of the Dine And View At Catterick Races Handicap.