Mark Johnston is the type of trainer who will scour the length and breadth of the country if he thinks there's a chance of a winner.
This intrepid policy can pay dividends as he makes the long trip from Middleham to Kempton Park this afternoon with Shayadi, who contests the Coral Eurobet Roseberry Showcase Handicap over a mile and a quarter.
The former John Oxx trained gelding turned in a most pleasing debut effort for the in-form Johnston on heavy ground at Pontefract last week when beating the progressive three-year-old King's Welcome by four lengths in a 0-90 Classified Stakes.
It was a further eight lengths back to King Priam, who likes soft ground and had previously run right up to his best when finishing third to Nimello in the Lincoln at Doncaster.
My selection, who is bred to improve with age, is sure to be all the better for that run and he's napped to beat Highland Reel, who finished a most creditable second on his reappearance in the Lincoln. Pawn Broker is a gallant sort and can score at the first time of asking for new trainer John Dunlop, whose horses are in good form, in the Magnolia Stakes over the same mile and a quarter trip.
He progressed into a very useful performer at around this trip last year and twice finished a close second to Derby runner-up Sakhee - at Sandown and in the Dante at York.
The four-year-old ended the campaign by being stepped up to a mile and a half and, although he ran at least as well form-wise over that distance, the step back to this trip will be no problem.
He's taken to beat Island Sound. Second Wind has the services of Frankie Dettori and looks an interesting runner on his reappearance in the Kempton For Conferences Handicap over his optimum trip of seven furlongs.
Chris Dwyer's consistent six-year-old won on his seasonal bow (not for the first time) at Leicester last year and he was also successful in a first time tongue strap - which is fitted again today - at Newmarket last June.
At Nottingham the best bet on the card could be Les Eyre's Simply Eric, who is open to improvement and can defy topweight in division two of the Ossington Handicap over a mile at 5.50.
The three-year-old ran a pleasing race on his reappearance at Musselburgh recently on his handicap debut when fourth to Marshall Bond, and that form has since been franked by the winner and the runner-up Lennel. There's a couple of interesting races at Market Rasen, not least the Victor Lucas Memorial Handicap Chase over two miles and one furlong and the suggestion is Passereau.
Having won in good style over this trip at Bangor in February, he has since finished well beaten at Leicester and Lingfield, but those defeats can be attributed to the trip (2m 4f) and ground (very heavy) respectively and he could go well at decent odds.
Pillar Of Fire is better than his last run at Ayr implies, likes Market Rasen and could be the value against likely favourite Mercato in the Easter Special Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles.
l A decision on Nayef's participation in the Macau Jockey Club Craven Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday is expected tomorrow.
The Marcus Tregoning-trained Nayef is currently ante-post favourite for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas and Vodafone Derby.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's colt, half-brother to dual-Classic winner Nashwan, won both his starts as a juvenile in good style to earn his position at the head of the betting for the big races - 5-2 for the Guineas and 8-1 for the Derby.
''The horse is in very good shape,'' said Tregoning. ''Sheikh Hamdan arrives back from Dubai this weekend and I'll discuss the Craven with him.
''There will probably be a decision on Tuesday evening after I've seen him work.''
The Lambourn trainer has not ruled out bypassing the Craven and waiting for the Guineas.
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