Catterick

4.00 2m Class 4 Handicap – Lever Du Soleil 11/10

Rated 125 over hurdles earlier this year took full advantage of his mark of 54 on the flat when recording back to back victories, the last off 59 when beating Sbraase who looks looks very well handicapped on past form and is great form when chasing a hat trick, they pulled over 7 lengths clear of the rest of the field leaving them both looking well ahead of the handicapper, LDS goes up another 6lb in his attempt of a hat trick but not only on last display but 60lbs less than his hurdling mark compared to the usual 35lbs rule of thumb leaves him looking still around 25lbs well in, the last display was also over a sharp 1m5f and the way he stayed on them this step back up to 2 miles will be a big benefit. Yet to run at Catterick but on form he handles all course characteristics, trainer Gavin Cromwell is in superb current form with a 31% strike rate the last 2 weeks and his chances on British shores are always to take note especially on the flat where he operates with huge 32% strike rate the last 5 years, a cool +11.53 level stake profit  which his added to this year with a 50% strike rate 3 from 6 tries, albeit 2 from this gelding. Clifford Lee is booked again whose ridden his last 2 winners and is excellent current form and grabbed himself 4 winners from his last 8 rides the past 7 days. This is a quick turnaround having only raced 2 days ago and was fairly ridden to claim the win so is a big worry he may be a little jaded, but if still in good spirits, will be very hard to beat.

Yarmouth

4.20 6f Class 2 Handicap – Raucous 5/2

Has the joint highest weight on his back with 10 stone which is eased a little with Cieren Fallon handily taking 5lbs off who is well worth his claim. The gelding was rated as high as 106 in his prime for William Haggas and hasn’t quite lived up to expectation since joining Robert Cowell last spring with just the 1 win to his name from a mark of 90, however is very consistent with a string of places in some hot races, most notably LTO when 4th in Royal Ascots Wokingham competitive 26 runner field under Fallon Jr, running anything like that today in this much weaker race leaves him the one they all have to beat.

Bath

6.00 1m2f Class 6 Handicap – Perfect Grace 6/5

Big eye catching performance over course and distance when just beat towards the line by previous winning and fav Sadlers Beach by a neck, that was off the back of 137 day break and in her first try in handicap company, entitled to come on from that plenty and is due to go up 4lbs in future races but escapes that here being turned out quickly. Trainer Archie Watson is good current form with 10 winners the last fortnight, he books Hollie Doyle who he has a good partnership ship with and she was on fillies back LTO when just missing out on the win.

Russell Blair