TOP-WEIGHT should be not hinder Cyclonic Storm (2.45), who is fancied to blow her rivals away in the Levy Handicap at Redcar today.
Richard Fahey's filly made a pleasing comeback at Hamilton recently, when she failed only by a half-length to catch the useful Lambourn raider Amoras. Cyclonic Storm almost certainly needed the run after a long winter, but following that encouraging pipe-opener there will no such problems in the fitness department for this afternoon's nine- furlong contest, in which she looks a cut above a run-of-the-mill field of handicappers.
Towards the end of last season Fahey's four-year-old showed marked improvement by winning back-to-back one-mile races at Carlisle and Salisbury. The Official Handicapper took due note and whacked her up a few pounds, but for some bizarre reason Cyclonic Storm has since been left on the same mark, despite that excellent second placing in Scotland.
Such supreme acts of largesse must be grabbed with open arms in an era when horses are regularly jacked up simply for standing in their boxes at home!
Michael Jarvis introduced a very smart two-year-old at Ripon the other day and the vibes from the Newmarket gallops suggest he has another ready-made winner on the conveyor belt in the shape of Heartbeat (2.15).
The six-furlong EBF Maiden Filles' Stakes hasn't attracted the strongest of line-ups, a remark that includes those who have already had an outing. This could open the doors to several of the newcomers, a category in which the well-bred Heartbeat should by all accounts figure prominently.
The local bookies will not be chalking up anything other than a stingy odds for Paradise Eve (3.15), the certain red-hot favourite in the £15,000 Carlsberg Export Lager Sprint Handicap.
It is no exaggeration to say that David Barron really does have a flying machine on his hands, so impressive has Paradise Eve been on her last three starts at Southwell, Musselburgh, and latterly Thirsk.
Not surprisingly the rapidly-improving three-year-old is shooting up the weights at a rate of knots, although not fast enough to stop her making it four-in-a-row in the five-furlong dash.
Two races in particular stand out at Sandown's evening meeting, the Listed National Stakes plus the Group 2 Brigadier Gerard Stakes.
In the former Barron could easily pick up an across-the-card via Lualua (7.15), who justified massive market support when scoring in a common canter on his Musselburgh bow.
Reported to be David's best juvenile, Lualua travels down from North Yorkshire and is due to be partnered by Frankie Dettori, so will get every assistance from the saddle.
Dettori's services have been claimed by his retained trainer Saeed Bin Suroor for Sights On Gold in the Brigadier Gerard and unfortunately for the bubbly Italian he might have to settle for playing second fiddle to Parasol (7.45).
Ironically Dettori was on board the selection when he completed a superb four-timer in a Listed event at Chester three weeks ago. Parasol is one of those curious individuals who only just does enough to win, a trait which has the invaluable asset of saving valuable energy for future tussles.
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