Nader King can reign on first foray into handicaps

Wednesday Hydration 3.45 Newbury, 6f handicap

Hydration shaped nicely on his return when third at Windsor last month and looks ready to strike on his handicap debut.

Harry and Roger Charlton’s gelded son of Oasis Dream won one of his two novice starts last term with the victory coming over 7f at Kempton despite being racing keenly. He also raced freely at Windsor and did well to hold on for third.

Both turf runs have come on soft ground and he shapes as though he’ll be in his element over this trip on a faster surface, so it would hardly be a surprise if he turns out to be significantly better than his opening mark of 75.

Tajdif might be his biggest danger. Stamina has been an issue for the Charlie Hillstrained three-year-old in novices over 7f to a mile, but an opening mark of 70 looks workable dropped back in trip for a yard that does well with sprinters.

Lmay 4.55 Newbury, 1m4f maiden

Lmay may have finished only sixth here last time out, but she shaped much better than the bare result in an Oaks trial and can take advantage of this big drop in class.

John and Thady Gosden’s daughter of Frankel hinted at a fair amount of ability when second on her debut at Haydock in April, encouraging connections to have a crack at Listed company the following month.

On that occasion she travelled sweetly throughout and looked a real threat approaching the last couple of furlongs, although her lack of experience told in the closing as she displayed signs of greenness. She is likely to improve on that and, if she does, it will be tough to stop her gaining a first success at the third time of asking.

Art De Vivre is a newcomer to note, but unless the market suggests she is above average, A Tickatickatiming is likely to give the selection most to do as Sheena West’s mare has shown enough in bumpers to suggest she could make an impact here.

Nader King 5.55 Newbury, 1m2f handicap

Nader King has progressed nicely in three maidens and can improve again to score on his handicap debut.

Sir Michael Stoute’s son of Camelot displayed no more than minor promise on his debut when sixth at Yarmouth last September, but stepped up on that significantly when second to King Of Steel at Nottingham the following month.

The winner’s recent Derby second shows that form in a particularly good light now and Nader King himself took another forward when landing a Nottingham novice on his reappearance in April.

Being asked to make all in soft ground probably wasn’t ideal, so he did well to score and tackling a faster surface in this slightly bigger field may spark further improvement. An opening mark of 85 could be lenient and success here could well see him earmarked for one of the Royal Ascot handicaps.

Intricacy is feared most. Simon and Ed Crisford’s colt hasn’t looked the easiest of rides but he possesses plenty of ability and a visor could do the trick ahead of his handicap debut off an opening mark of 84.

Thursday Khanjar

3.35 Hamilton, 6f handicap

If there is a sprinter in this field with any Group-race aspirations, it is surely Khanjar, who can make his class tell here. William Haggas’s 97-rated four-year-old has already shown decent form in handicaps and remains prominent in the betting for the Wokingham at Royal Ascot next month.

He ran respectably in a hot handicap at York on his reappearance last month, where he travelled nicely throughout until the lack of a recent run told in the closing stages and didn’t really get a lot of racing room in any case.

He finished mid-division and wasn’t given a hard time and should come on a good deal for the run. He’s certainly capable of winning at least a big handicap somewhere before potentially having a crack at Pattern company and victory here will tee him up nicely for the rest of the season.

Soldier’s Minute was another who didn’t get the best of runs in that York handicap spring last month and has to be respected here. A close-up fifth at Ayr last time, Keith Dalgleish’s eight-year-old has dropped to an appealing mark of 86.

Red Danielle 6.20 Chelmsford, 1m2f novice

Red Danielle was well backed ahead of her debut at Goodwood last month and while she couldn’t justify the support, she still ran an excellent race in second and looks poised to go one better here. After missing the break, she raced quite keenly towards the rear, but still made up the ground easily and looked to have delivered her challenge perfectly. She couldn’t quite reel in the more prominently ridden winner Royal Mila and, although the form is hard to weigh up at this stage, the pair pulled well clear of the rest, hinting that the first two are useful.

Roger Varian’s daughter of Sea The Moon holds an entry for next month’s Ribblesdale and while that looks a tad optimistic at this stage, she would be no forlorn hope, especially if impressing here in a novice that looks winnable despite the big field.

Mantoog is next best. Owen Burrows’ daughter of Kingman has finished runner-up in both starts with last month’s reappearance Salisbury second a slight step up on last season’s Kempton debut. She is entitled to improve again and should be just a matter of time before she gets off the mark.

White Wolf 8.20 Chelmsford, 1m2f handicap

White Wolf ran better than his finishing position suggests when tenth at York last time and could be overpriced to bounce back to winning form here.

Saeed bin Suroor’s fouryear-old was returning from a couple of months off the track following a stint in Dubai over the winter and, while he wouldn’t have won on the Knavesmire last time, he would have finished closer with a clear run. He can be expected to strip fitter for that outing and with both wins coming on the all-weather, the return to a synthetic surface can only be considered a positive.

Moktasaab appears to have become the type who runs well in decent handicaps without winning. William Knight’s fiveyear-old has been competitive off slightly higher marks, so his current rating of 94 should be within his reach. Last year’s Newbury reappearance win shows he can get the job done when it falls into place and the first-time visor could make the difference.

Friday Trooper Bisdee

4.55 Bath, 1m6f handicap With six winners from ten runners during May, Sir Mark

Prescott has his string more forward than usual and, with that in mind, Trooper Bisdee looks worth backing under a penalty to follow up his Yarmouth success just over a week ago.

Like many from the yard, he didn’t show much in three starts over shorter trips last year, but improved significantly to score on his handicap debut at Yarmouth off a lowly opening mark of 56. That was over 1m3½f where he raced lazily at times, hinting that further would suit. Further progress looks assured upped to 1m6f here and he could easily be defying the handicapper for a good while yet.

Alex The Great can give him most to do. David Simcock’s gelded son of Camelot hasn’t shown a great deal in novices, but there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree so he is entitled to improve off an opening mark of 57 on his handicap debut.

Best alternative: Alex The Great The Princes Poet

6.03 Bath, 5½f handicap The Princes Poet bounced back to form when easily winning at Brighton just over a week ago and looks worth backing here under his 5lb penalty. The handicapper raised him 6lb for that success, so he is officially 1lb well-in here. However, even that may underestimate him as, although it wasn’t the strongest of races, Eve Johnson Houghton’s five-year-old won with plenty to spare.

Effectively running off a mark of 69 here, his form shows he was competitive off as high as 76 a couple of years ago, so there’s good reason to believe he can go in again if in the same form.

Course-and-distance specialist Symbol Of Hope has to be considered, although he is weighted to his best following a couple of recent wins here and Big Bard may be a bigger threat. Gary Moore’s five-year-old is also on a roll having won his last two, but still remains well treated on the pick of his form.

Best alternative: Big Bard

King Of The Plains

6.45 Haydock, 1m3½f novice Third on his debut at Chester last month and second at Yarmouth last time out, King Of The Plains can step up again to score at the third time of asking. Charlie Johnston’s son of Roaring Lion caught the eye on his debut at the Roodee where his lack of experience told when asked to quicken off a steady pace but finishing best of all to grab third, suggesting a stronger gallop would help.

A slow pace again didn’t help at Yarmouth last time, but he still ran creditably and was only just run out of it by Ghara, who had finished fourth in the Lingfield Oaks Trial on her previous start. With 16 entries, there is the potential for a decent-sized field which should suit King Of The Plains, who looks like the one to beat here.

Ruling Dynasty is the main danger. Charlie Appleby’s fouryear-old will have a big weight of 10st 8lb to shoulder if lining up here, but he is open to plenty of improvement and last October’s Newcastle novice suggests he may be up to the task.

Best alternative: Ruling Dynasty