BRIAN Meehan has his strongest ever team of juveniles this season and Pin Cushion can give him yet another winner in the EBF Cayley Rayers Loyal Royals Maiden Stakes at Windsor.
Beautifully bred, by sire-ofthe- moment Pivotal out of the crack race mare Frizzante, she has improved for both her outings to date.
On debut she performed satisfactorily to finish seventh of 15 at Windsor, but it was her performance last time out that makes her the form pick for this.
She finished third in what is proving to be one of the best races of its type at Newbury.
The surprise 50-1 winner was Hughie Morrison’s Queen’s Grace, who proved it was no fluke by finishing a close third to Shamandar in a Listed race at Bath, while Henry Cecil’s runner-up Jacqueline Quest bolted up next time by nine lengths.
Behind Pin Cushion was Richard Hannon’s Golden Aria, who beat Cecil’s Timepiece at Newmarket then hacked up at Lingfield.
In short, the race could not have worked out better and it will be surprising if she is beaten.
John Gosden’s Parallel can show the benefit of her initial experience in the Baylis Media Maiden Stakes.
The Refuse To Bend filly finished third at Sandown, where she was very green and it is highly likely that Gosden will have her more tuned up this time.
On paper, she looks the most likely winner.
The Bathwick Tyres Free Admission Handicap is a cracking contest for a Monday at Salisbury.
The likes of Huzzah, Marching Time and Vitznau have been performing well in some tough races but there was a lot to like about the seasonal debut of Godolphin’s Secrecy at Doncaster.
Having had only two runs in his life, he was pitched into the deep end against some hardened handicappers but performed admirably, filling third spot behind Meehan’s Manassas.
It emerged after the race that he had lost a shoe, so his performance was even more meritorious.
The son of King’s Best has only gone up 1lb for that solid effort and could be better than a handicapper in time.
Also worth an interest at Salisbury is Cecil’s Brief Look in the Bathwick Tyres ‘‘Season Finale’’ Handicap.
Third last time after two previous wins, it was nevertheless a career-best effort behind Anice Stellato.
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