ARMED with the knowledge that Karl Burke is currently boasting a better than 30 per cent strikerate, he looks the trainer to follow at Redcar this afternoon.
Burke's Spigot Lodge stable, which has churned out 12 winners from just over 30 runners during a memorable purple patch in the past two weeks, could add a couple more if Ellesappelle and City For Conquest run to par.
Ellesappelle (2.40) is admittedly unproven over the one-mile-and-three-furlong distance for the Claiming Stakes, however her superior BHB rating, plus stout pedigree, should enable the filly to see out the longer trip.
City For Conquest (4.10) is an even stronger fancy for the feature event on the card, the £10,000 Pertemps People Development Group Handicap Pity those poor punters siding with City For Conquest at Chester last time out where she was involved in a barging batch leaving the stalls, an incident from which she never fully recovered.
In the circumstances the three-year-old did extremely well to make late headway and nab fifth spot, a final placing which appeared nigh on impossible given the amount of ground she forfeited at the start.
City For Conquest shouldn't encounter similar problems on today's straight track, a much more level playing field compared to Chester's five furlong course which is on a sharp left-handed turn throughout.
Tony Culhane looks to have a couple of penalty kicks via Pretty Majestic (2.10) and Hopeful Purchase (4.10).
Pretty Majestic ran into arguably the top two-year-old seen out this year - Gilded - when runner-up on her Salisbury debut just over three weeks ago.
With nothing of the calibre of Gilded lining up for the opening EBF Fillies Stakes, the daughter of Invincible Spirit is surely poised to open her account at only the second time of asking.
Hopeful Purchase put up an equally promising performance when fourth in a Conditions contest at Sandown in April, form which is head and shoulders above anything shown to date by his rivals in the Racing Uk Maiden Stakes.
The Group 2 Temple Stakes at Sandown's evening meeting is arguably the best sprint run so far this season.
A high draw is generally speaking absolutely vital and Reverence (7.15) couldn't better placed in stall 13 - hard up against the favoured far rail.
Eric Alston's speedball has the sublime assistance of Kevin Darley in the saddle, a jockey not known for making crucial tactical errors on the big occasion.
It's an important night for the charity Mencap, hoping to raise thousands of pounds at Hexham's meeting where they are sponsoring five of the six races.
Arctic Echo (7.00) and Lord On The Run (7.35) are both expected to oblige favourite backers in their respective races, but one likely to go off at more sporting odds is Beat The Heat (8.40). Although Jedd O'Keeffe's eight-year-old returns from a 166-day break, he was generally consistent in the early part of last season and is fully capable of going well when fresh.
* Clive Brittain is hopeful of a good run from Hattan at Sandown tonight, now the colt has recovered from a tooth problem.
The four-year-old, sixth in Motivator's Derby, showed he was ready for the betfair.com Brigadier Gerard Stakes by moving well in a spin at Newmarket on Saturday.
''He's had a fractured tooth and had quite a bit of dental work done,'' said the trainer.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article