Quito, the star of David Chapman's Stillington stable, can get back on the winning trail at Haydock tomorrow.
With today's rain, plus more forecast, conditions at the Lancashire course should be just about ideal for the tough-as-teak eight-year-old to put his best foot forward in the £28,000 Sunwin Renault Stakes, which carries Listed status.
A versatile horse, able to operate from six furlongs to a mile, Quito has proved a model of consistency again this season and has won two of his last four starts.
His latest success was gained over tomorrow's distance of seven furlongs at York last month, and he has since run well in defeat at Windsor.
A hold-up horse, Quito is dependent on what pace is set by others, but, provided things pan out nicely for him, Tony Culhane should be able to produce him late and fast to secure the prize.
William Haggas, who had gone a month without a winner, ended that barren spell yesterday courtesy of Crete at Leicester, and the Newmarket trainer could follow-up with Bygone Days in the D.Kitchen Ltd Handicap.
Anyone fancying this talented four-year-old will need to forgive him last month's disappointing comeback effort on Knavesmire when he finished unplaced. But he was running over only five furlongs there and, with the yard not quite firing at the time, he is worthy of continued interest, especially as he is back over six furlongs tomorrow.
He has every chance of providing Culhane with another winner.
The promising Molly Marie (2.20), trained by Tim Easterby, and David Barron's Undeterred (2.50), for whom Jimmy Fortune looks a significant booking, are two others to consider at Haydock.
At Hamilton, Richtee is napped to lift the Hamilton Park Super Six Handicap for Malton trainer Richard Fahey and his two local owners, Terry Elsey and Richard Mustill.
A comfortable enough winner at Musselburgh on her latest outing, Richtee has been raised only 2lb for that success and, furthermore, was a winner on this course last season. She has excellent prospects of defying top-weight in a modest contest.
Fahey also has a good chance with Aberlard in the Diet Irn-Bru Maiden Handicap.
Although the four-year-old has been largely disappointing and has frustratingly continued to fail to open his winning account, he need only reproduce his latest fourth-placed effort behind Whinhill House at Carlisle to land this soft race.
Hambleton trainer Bryan Smart has his horses in cracking form and Bond Angel Eyes could be another winner for his stable in the Ben Raceday Fillies' Auction Stakes.
A good second to Always Baileys on her recent debut at Carlisle, the youngster has every chance of going one better tomorrow with that race under her belt.
Updated: 10:31 Wednesday, June 01, 2005
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