Racing by Tom O'Ryan

Fairy Queen, who made a fairytale start to her career at Doncaster last month, can confirm herself as an above-average juvenile at Sandown tomorrow.

The David Loder-trained filly bids for the £13,500 Milcar Star Stakes and promises to take all the beating in the hands of Frankie Dettori.

Fairy Queen arrived at Doncaster with a huge home reputation and was sent off the 2/1 on favourite. Despite showing her inexperience, she never gave her backers any undue cause for concern and sailed home three lengths to the good over fellow newcomer Barafamy.

A smart prospect in the making, Fairy Queen can double her score tomorrow.

The £10,000 49's Handicap could well fall to Naskhi, trained by Mark Johnston at Middleham. The Northern raider has been in cracking form lately, completing a rapid hat-trick of successes at Beverley on Monday evening. The fact that Johnston is pulling her out again so quickly suggests that a four-timer could well be on the cards.

The one mile and six furlongs of the Pycroft & Arnold Handicap should suit Abuljjood down to the ground.

Ben Hanbury's three-year-old has yet to get his head in front this season, but he has shown enough ability on his latest starts to suggest he has a strong chance of opening his account in this modest handicap.

Piccolo Cativo should take plenty of catching in the C Gordon Medlen and Sonia P Coe Memorial Handicap.

As tough as old boots, Geraldine Rees' filly has been in cracking form recently and turned in a rock-solid display on her latest outing at Hamilton when beaten only a whisker by the useful Unchanged in the hands of an inexperienced 7lb claiming apprentice.

Back against her own age-group tomorrow, Piccolo Cativo is napped to regain winning form under the professional handling of Francis Norton.

Nearer to home the action takes place over the jumps at Sedgefield, where Royal Barge has strong hat-trick claims in the Blackthorn Cider Novices' Chase.

Trained by Peter Bowen, who has a remarkably good strike-rate on this course, Royal Barge won a handicap hurdle at Southwell last month and followed-up in a handicap chase at Worcester recently when beating Zaitoon by two and a half lengths. He looks one to keep on the right side of.

The Playford Ros Handicap presents a good opportunity for Wild Brook to follow-up his recent course and distance success.

Brian Ellison's gelding, a bitter disappointment last season, gave a fine exhibition of jumping on his comeback outing and scored by a resounding seven lengths from Madge McSplash.

On the evidence of that display, Wild Brook will take all the beating here, with Richard Johnson again taking the mount.

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