CONFIRMED front-runner Love Beauty (7.55) could take some pegging back at Ripon this evening, writes Colin Woods (Janus).
The Mick Doyle-owned three-year-old was only caught in the final couple of hundred metres on his latest outing at Carlisle - a predominantly uphill track which presents a far sterner test than Ripon's more level terrain.
Given this potentially favourable scenario, you can bet your bottom dollar jockey Kevin Darley will not be hanging around once the gates fly open for the £9,000 Land Rover Stakes.
Darley possesses an ultra-smart racing brain, so as long as he doesn't burn too much fuel early doors on Love Beauty, he should by my calculations have enough left in reserve to repel all-comers during the final couple of furlongs.
Doyle, an Irish millionaire fisherman, who has all of his UK-based horses with Mark Johnston, seems to have an excellent chance of completing a double just ten minutes later when Love Angel (8.05) bids to beat his elders at Windsor.
The form of Love Angel's penultimate outing has worked out exceptionally well, so his most recent failure on a visit to Chester was a bit of surprise.
Nonetheless, there was a feeling within the Johnston stable that a few of the horses weren't quite getting home at that time, a situation which judged by the flood of winners over the weekend has now been rectified.
Back up at Ripon, Cryfield warrants another chance having thrown in the towel at Beverley 13 days ago.
Nigel Tinkler's eight-year-old really does have a mind of his own and if things go even marginally wrong, he simply downs tools. But that's not to say Cryfield is devoid of ability, far from it in fact and with a career tally of seven wins to date, he's handicapped to make it eight in the Stonebridgegate Handicap over his ideal trip of one-mile.
Much earlier on in the day at Musselburgh, Strensall (4.30) is fancied to atone for an unlucky Catterick mishap.
Having previously taken a Thirsk sprint, Ronnie Barr's Seamer-near-Stokesley trained gelding was in line to follow-up, only to stumble and nearly fall emerging from the stalls making the task at Catterick hopeless.
* Janus hit the jackpot at Market Rasen yesterday when his nap selection, Keltic Lord, struck gold at 12-1.
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