Sam King is back with two selections on Wednesday.
Goodwood hosts some decent midweek action, with the Listed Foundation Stakes taking center stage, while Kempton provides a supporting role on the all-weather and there is an eight-race card at Redcar.
I must admit that I've been nothing but impressed with Saddadd so far this season and I'm not at all shocked that he's top of the betting for the Foundation Stakes (3.35).Roger Varian's colt looks to have a progressive profile and clearly handles ease in the ground but he's just a touch too short in the market against some interesting opponents.
Of the opposition, I'll take a chance that Ralph Beckett has Starzintheireyes straight enough for his belated three-year-old debut following 347 days off the track.
Carrying the colours of Marc Chan, this striking Chestnut colt looked a potentially top-class performer in three outings as a juvenile, bumping into star miler Field Of Gold on the July Course first time out before recording wins over seven and ten furlongs at Leicester and Newmarket.
It was tough not to be impressed with the manner in which he picked up from well off the pace to land a soft-ground Group 3 Zetland Stakes last October, shaping as though Group 1 targets would be by no means fanciful.
The form of that Group 3 success also has some substance to it, with the 106-rated Green Storm going on to finish runner-up in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud later that season, while Aidan O'Brien's Shackleton, who holds a rating of 107, finished a close-up fourth in the Group 2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot this year.
Whilst it's unlikely that he'll be fully tuned up for this return to action following a lengthy absence, I do expect Beckett to have him straight enough to do himself justice and with soft ground to suit, he might just have enough class to get by in albeit a warm-looking Listed event.
1pt Win – Starzintheireyes
Odds – 7/1
It could be a good day for Ralph Beckett at Goodwood, who has a 23% strike rate at the Sussex venue.
He also saddles the promising juvenile Bay Of Brilliance in the ten-furlong maiden (2.35) and in all truth, I'm expecting this colt to take a big step forward now that he goes up in trip on softer ground.
A powerful looking son of New Bay, this Valmont-owned two-year-old looked massively tapped for toe despite showing bundles of raw ability when fifth over seven furlongs on debut at Newbury 39 days ago.
Add in the fact that he likely would conditions on the quick side that day and it's a performance that clearly can be upgraded. The winner looks like a useful recruit, while the runner-up has since landed a competitive handicap and is entered in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket tomorrow. The third, fourth, sixth and seventh-placed horses have all shown fair form since.
He should relish stepping up in trip on this softer surface and can get off the mark second time out.
2pt Win - Bay Of Brilliance
Odds – 2/1
Dixieland Blues has been somewhat disappointing since landing a Southwell novice event earlier in the season but I'm happy to give him one final chance at Kempton (6.40) this evening, where he should have no real excuses from stall two under Harry Davies.
He stuck to his task in the manner of a useful sprinter when beating the now 88-rated Grizedale and a whole host of other 80-rated performers at Southwell back in April, but things haven't been plain sailing since.
Simon and Ed Crisford's charge completely flopped on his handicap debut over a mile at Haydock, which led to connections opting for a gelding operation and although he did run better when returned to Southwell in July, he's subsequently again disappointed back at Haydock.
However, his form figures on an all-weather surface read 2216 and it's possible that this son of Invincible Spirit, who is a half-brother to the Group 2 and all-weather scorer Jadoomi, is just far more at home on the artificial than the turf.
He was sent off an even-money chance when bumping into the now 106-rated Gladius over a mile at this venue second time out and looked to have that rival cooked coming to the furlong pole.
Dropping back to seven furlongs on this all-weather return could work the oracle and from a kind draw in gate two, he might take some pegging back if getting an aggressive ride.
1pt Win – Dixieland Blues
Odds – 10/3
