RYDER CUP golf stars Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke have recently joined forces and ventured into racehorse ownership with Shank On Fourteen, an excitingly fast juvenile in training with Karl Burke at Middleham's Spigot Lodge stables.
And there's certainly no sign yet of any below par performances from Shank On Fourteen, who has won two of his three starts to date. His latest runaway success at Thirsk was achieved in the style of a youngster capable of making his mark at Royal Ascot, but first there is a decent prize to be bagged at Windsor this evening in a £20,000 five furlong conditions event (8.10).
With Clarke still on a high following his excellent finish in yesterday's German Open, he'll doubtless be lighting up one of his trademark fat cigars if, as expected, Shank On Fourteen acquits himself well tonight.
Much earlier in the day take a note of Adobe (2.45), scheduled to carry top-weight in the Levy Board Handicap at Bath over one mile.
Trainer Mark Brisbourne is just beginning to fire and Adobe made a pleasing comeback when fourth at Warwick 14 days ago. Admittedly it's a couple of seasons since the gelding has got his head in front, but the handicapper has taken due note and dropped the eight-year-old a whopping 10lbs in all.
In form sprinter Cressex Katie (4.15) bids to make it three in a row when lining up for the five-and-a-half-furlong Weatherby's Insurance Handicap.
She won doing handsprings over the course and distance two weeks ago, cruising up to the leaders and then powering clear inside the final furlong. Cressex Katie has gone up 7lbs in the ratings for the success, not enough in my view to stop her going in again.
Pip Payne is striking while the iron is hot with Phoebe Buffay (4.00), who makes a quick-fire return to Wolverhampton where she prevailed exactly seven days ago.
Phoebe Buffay's long spell away from the winners' enclosure has not been for the want of trying, several times making the frame in recent outings. Perhaps now that her confidence has been restored, she can complete a double in the National Pike Fillies' Handicap.
Marcus Tregoning's three-year-olds are absolutely flying boding nicely for the prospects of the once-raced Day Fort (4.45) in the Peter Maughan Maiden Stakes.
After a tardy start, Day Fort finished like a rocket on his debut at Kempton. The penny clearly dropped far too late that day and jockey Martin Dwyer was not hard on his mount either.
Day Fort will know much more this time, and is sure to be more positively ridden by Dwyer, and on the form book looks only to have Cryptogam and Perfect Night to beat in the 16-runner event.
Finally to Musselburgh where Celtic Thunder (6.25) can build on his promising debut at Newcastle.
Celtic Thunder showed whippet-like pace to lead his 17 rivals for the first four furlongs that day, sadly though the fuel gauge dropped to empty as he ran out of gas in the closing stages.
Tim Etherington's son of the prolific sprint sire, Mind Games, will have come on in leaps-and-bounds for the outing, plus should theoretically be much better suited by the less testing nature of the Scottish track.
Brian Ellison, fresh from a double over the sticks at Sedgefield on Saturday night, may have further cause for celebration should Conquering Love (7.55) oblige in the feature race at the meeting, the £10,000 Forth Land Rover Trophy.
Conquering Love took the money on his last visit to the course, form that was upheld in no uncertain terms when the runner-up, Trouble Mountain, claimed a decent handicap at Hamilton.
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