Sam King tipped a 5/1 winner at Hamilton yesterday and is back with three selections on Friday.
You wouldn't necessarily expect a small trainer like Heather Main to do so well at a large competitive track like Newbury but there's no doubt her horses often excel there.
She has a staggering +£275.00 to a £1 level stake statistic at the West Berkshire venue in the last five years. That of course, has been bolstered by a handful of huge, priced winners in recent years but it remains a stat that catches the eye and one she should be proud of. The Heather Main team have also only saddled more winners at two other courses other than Newbury during the same period, so it's well worth taking note of her runners at the track.
This afternoon the Wantage-based handler relies on the unexposed Lady Of The Isles, who steps into handicap company over a mile from the bottom of the weights at 2.25.
Well-beaten on her debut last year, the daughter of Make Believe showed improved form on her return to action this season, shaping nicely when sixth off the front over a mile at Windsor in April.
Returned to Windsor two months later, she once again displayed distinct ability by keeping on nicely before weakening into fourth in maiden company.
Now qualified for handicaps, it's easy to expect she could find some improvement. Rossa Ryan was in the saddle for her latest Windsor effort and it's interesting that the top rider has been booked once more on this handicap debut.
A mark of 60 puts her off 8st 13lb at the foot of the weights and it's easily possible that she can find the required improvement to get the better of some more exposed types.
1pt Win - Lady Of The Isles
Odds – 13/2
Hamilton hosts it's annual Listed Glasgow Stakes at 7.10 this evening.
In a race that's so often dominated by Newmarket-based trainers, it's no surprise to see the top four in the betting all making the long journey to Scotland from racing headquarters.
John and Thady Gosden have sent just 3 horses to Hamilton in the last five year's (1 winner), so their unbeaten Nahraan requires bundles of respect at the top of the market. However, at the current prices, William Haggas' Arabian Forcelooks worth siding with.
The Somerville Lodge maestro has saddled 24 runners at Hamilton the last five seasons, with ten finding the winners' enclosure.
An impressive winner under a penalty of a ten-furlong novice event at Salisbury earlier in the season, Arabian Force found himself pitched into the competitive Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot next time out.
Things probably just happened a bit quickly for him at the Royal meeting but having been outpaced for much of the contest at the rear of the field, he stuck to his task well in the closing stages.
He holds winning form on quick ground at Salisbury but being a sizeable son of the great Lope De Vega, it's easy to think he'll be more at home on this easier surface.
This extra furlong should also aid his chances and at a general 5/1, this progressive three-year-old gets the nod to enhance William Haggas' excellent record at this venue.
1pt Win – Arabian Force
Odds – 5/1
Having sided with William Haggas' charge over John and Thady Gosden's up at Hamilton, I'm hopeful the latter can continue their brilliant run of form back down at Newbury this afternoon.
The Clarehaven Stables team are operating at an impressive 33% strike rate over the last fortnight, whilst their last four runners have found the winners' circle.
Three-year-olds have won six of the nine renewals of the UHY Ross Brooke Fillies' Handicap over an extended one-mile five furlongs at Newbury (4.45). Six horses go to post in this year's edition but only of the sextet are three-year-olds.
John and Thady Gosden's Star Of Light is the sole representative of the Classic generation, and she's expected to enhance the already solid record of three-year-olds in this event.
A beautifully bred daughter of Frankel - who is a half-sister to Canadian Grade 1 winner Cannock Chase - Star Of Light appeared to show improved form in first-time cheekpieces when fifth in the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood last time.
She shaped as though stamina was her forte on that occasion, so it's no surprise to see connections step her up a further three and a half furlongs here.
An opening mark of 82 should be well within range for her and given the fact she gets nearly a stone from the four-year-old market leader Orchard Keeper, who is rated just 1lb higher, John and Thady Gosden's filly looks like a touch of value.
1pt Win – Star Of Light
Odds – 7/2
