Ryedale apprentice James Sullivan can continue his run of good form at Southwell tomorrow on a horse he nearly slipped up with at the same course a couple of weeks ago.
Verus Decorus carried Sullivan to a neck success in a maiden event, but not before the 3lb claimer, thinking the race was in the bag, had eased down momentarily.
That allowed the runner-up to give him a fright by pressing him hard all the way to the line.
All was well in the end for Sullivan, who went on to complete a double on that card, and who has ridden another couple of winners since.
Tomorrow, Verus Decorus tackles handicap company for the first time. Pat Morris’ juvenile looks fairly treated off a mark of only 56 in the totesport.com Nursery over the same distance of five furlongs and is napped to follow up her recent success.
Sullivan, who is attached to Mick Easterby’s stable, will not be easing up on her this time.
Norton trainer Julie Camacho bids to strike while the iron is hot with Dandarrell in the Captain Coghill’s Handicap.
Camacho placed the three-year-old to win on this course on Sunday and, keen to get him out again, saddles him under a 6lb penalty with Graham Gibbons again booked for the mount.
A follow up could well be on the cards, though a good run could come from the Ollie Pears-trained Rosewin, provided she handles this switch to an artificial surface.
Thirsk-based Michael Herrington, aiming to make an impact as a trainer in North Yorkshire, placed Ubenkor to win on this course last month.
The gelding has twice run well in defeat since and it would be no surprise to see this consistent performer resume winning ways in the Bet On Ashes At totesport.com Handicap.
Diggeratt was a crucial winner for Paul Hanagan during the final week of the turf season when the Malton jockey was locked in battle with Richard Hughes for the championship, and was claimed out of Richard Fahey’s stable after that success.
She makes her first appearance for George Baker in the Tony McCoy For BBC Sports Personality Claiming Stakes over the same course and distance. She comes out best on ratings in this race and should take plenty of beating.
The promising Destiny Of A Diva (2.00) should have benefited from her creditable runner-up effort on her debut at Wolverhampton, while It’s A Mans World (3.30), who found only the in-form Ingleby King too strong last time out, has good prospects of going one better.
The opening honours at Southwell are likely to fall to If You Whisper, who looked a winnner waiting to happen at Kempton when going down by less than a length to Towering Storm. Mike Murphy’s two-year-old is fancied to go one better here.
Langton trainer Nigel Tinkler heads to Kempton tomorrow evening with Piquante, who is not to be underestimated in the In-Running Betting At seabet.com Handicap.
The four-year-old finished a good second, beaten little more than a length by the winner Tuxedo, on his last visit to Kempton. He would hardly need to improve much on that to come out on top this time.
The Best Asian Markets At seabet.com Nursery sees Forty Proof and Liberty Green going head-to-head once again.
The pair crossed swords last week at Lingfield which saw Forty Proof come out on top by a head. A 6lb penalty will make life tougher for the winner tomorrow, and Liberty Green consequently has a good opportunity to turn the tables.
Racing selections
Southwell
12.30 If You Whisper, 1.00 Verus Decorus (NAP), 1.30 Ubenkor, 2.00 Destiny Of A Diva, 2.30 Diggeratt, 3.00 Dandarrell, 3.30 It’s A Mans World.
Kempton
4.00 Clever Omneya, 4.30 Sir Lunchalott, 5.00 Crystal Gale, 5.30 Sky Diamond, 6.00 Piquante, 6.30 Gallantry, 7.00 Liberty Green, 7.30 Jaldarshaan.
Tomorrow’s other meetings:
Exeter and Towcester.
Today’s meetings:
Bangor, Kempton, Lingfield and Newbury.
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