FOLLOWING Pat Eddery at Yarmouth this afternoon looks a sensible strategy because the 11- times former champion jockey has an impressive portfolio of rides.
Pat's first chance comes aboard Gallant (2.20) in division two of the Ramworth Maiden Stakes. The selection has twice been beaten over one mile this season, running out of gas inside the final furlong.
Trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who did us a major favour with headline horse Kalanisi on Saturday, has now decided to switch Gallant back to seven furlongs, a move poised to pay dividends.
Eddery and Stoute team up again with the newcomer Houseparty (2.50) in the Wickhampton Novice Stakes.
The two-year-old colt is by sire-of-the-moment Grand Lodge, also responsible for dual Derby and Arc winner Sinndar.
Houseparty will have to go some if he is to aspire to those sort of heights, but on pedigree at least he could easily make a successful debut.
In the following Mautby Conditions Stakes, Pat gets the leg-up on Sir Francis (3.20).
Eddery rode an 11-1 winner for Jeremy Noseda at Pontefract yesterday, boding well for the prospects of Sir Francis, who has already picked up a couple of races this term.
For the £10,000 Showcase Handicap it's the Stoute-Eddery show again, this time represented by Rum Punch (4.20).
He's a lightly-raced son of Shirley Heights capable of grabbing this decent prize provided he reproduces his June second to Waseem.
There's a fascinating clash at Exeter in the Mantech Novices' Chase between a pair of top-class former hurdlers, Shooting Light and Bindaree (4.10).
Of the duo, Bindaree will almost certainly be the fitter, having put in a faultless round of jumping to score in bloodless fashion at Perth 26 days ago.
After a couple of calamitous blunders over fences it doesn't exactly come as a bolt from the blue to see The Brewer back to hurdling in the Foodservice Handicap Hurdle.
He won three times under similar conditions at the track during his 1997/98 campaign, and will surely benefit from reverting to a set of less demanding obstacles.
In the finale at Wolverhampton Paarl Rock (5.00) is reunited with 7lb apprentice Graham Gibbons.
Gibbons was not on top when Paarl Rock flopped at Chester, but he was in the saddle when the five-year-old recorded gutsy wins at Nottingham and Leicester in the summer.
l Trainer Mick Channon maintained his magic touch with two-year-olds as Worthily carried off the main prize of the day at Pontefract.
The trainer had secured a Group One victory with Tobougg in Saturday's Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
This time he carried off a Listed race as Worthily justified 11-4 favouritism in the Tote Silver Tankard Stakes.
The 50-1 outsider Rathkenny emerged as a potent threat in the final two furlongs. But Worthily, who had worked well with Tobougg the other day, stuck to his guns to prevail by 1 lengths.
Bruce Raymond, representing the owner Salem Suhail, said: ''This horse simply excels in soft ground, we've just got to hope now that he can do equally well on good.
Jockey John Reid said: ''The horse has done well on soft and you can ignore his first run as he got kicked in the stalls.
''He's a good-actioned horse and I see no reason why he shouldn't be just as good on better ground.''
Worthily may step up in trip now with the Zetland Stakes (1m 2f) at Newmarket a likely target.
Wantage trainer Dominic ffrench Davis registered his first win at Pontefract when Captain Gibson got up on the line to pip Travel Tardia by a head in the White Swan Maiden Stakes (division one).
Richard Quinn did well to pop his mount's nose in front as Captain Gibson tried to hang in behind Travel Tardia. ''Richard said he got there in plenty of time but was ducking in and he had to make his mind up for him,'' said ffrench Davis. ''It's just taking a long time for the penny to drop for this horse and he might go for a nursery now.'
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