Sam King is back with three selections on Friday.
The well-supported Push The Limit may well have more to come now stepping up in the Listed Bet MGM Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot (4.05), but the same can be said for Arabian Force, who officially has 8lb in hand on the Ralph Beckett-trained colt.
Bred by Rabbah Bloodstock, this lightly raced son of Lope De Vega looked like a useful prospect when stuffing the now 106-rated Gladius by five lengths in a novice event at Salisbury back in May.
Thing's didn't go to plan when he was pitched into the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot next time, but he was firmly back on track when denied a nose by Nahraan in the Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton the following month.
A step up to a mile and a half saw him finish a highly creditable third behind both this year's Dante Stakes winner Pride Of Arras and Paddy Twomey's previous Queen's Vase scorer Carmers in the Great Voltiguer Stakes at York in August, where once again he shaped as though a great stamina test would bring out more, keeping one from off the pace whilst hitting a flat spot.
Whilst untried on ground slower than good, it's unlikely that any ease in the surface will pose a problem for this sizeable son of Lope De Vega, who might even find some further improvement for it.
His handler William Haggas is having a brilliant season and despite an early morning market drift, Arabian Force gets the nod to come out on top in this afternoon's feature one-mile six-furlong Listed contest.
Arabian Force – 1pt Win
Odds – 5/2
Our last two wagers come from Southwell, where the improving Bernalda may take some stopping in the Arc 1MILLION Bonus Has 150k Increase! Handicap (6.45).
Trained by the in-form handler James Ferguson, Bernalda hasn't exactly looked straightforward throughout her career but there's no doubt that the application of blinkers has made her more willing at the business end.
A well-bred daughter of Frankel – who is out of the classy owner's mare Mix And Mingle – Bernalda has looked something of a different proposition on her last two starts, winning convincingly in first-time blinkers over an extended mile at Wolverhampton before bolting up by four lengths under promising apprentice Alexandra Egan at Newcastle last time out.
James Ferguson's filly, who is due to go up 9lb, escapes a hike in the weights here for winning that apprentice handicap last month, while Alexandra Egan retains the ride at Southwell this evening.
She's now two from two in blinkers and off an unchanged mark, she could take some stopping in a bid to complete a quickfire all-weather hat-trick.
1pt Win – Bernalda
Odds – 5/2
The final wager from Southwell comes in the opening Arc All-Weather 1MILLION Bonus Returns Handicap (4.00), where New York Minute looks reasonably priced at around the 2/1 to follow-up his recent Chelmsford success.
Stepping up to one-mile six for the first time, New York Minute needed every yard of the trip when rallying late to deny his rivals at the Essex venue last month.
There should be more to come from this gelded son of the late great Wootton Bassett – who is out of a Galileo mare – now that he's got his head in front for the first time.
The fitting of blinkers on his last two outings seems to have had a positive effect, while it's likely that a stiff test of stamina on an artificial surface brings out the best in him, despite the fact he was beaten a long way over course and distance on his penultimate start.
The runner-up from his latest Chelmsford success has since run well at Kempton to give the form some substance and with this extra distance expected to suit, Ralph Beckett's charge can prove equal to a 3lb rise in the weights.
1pt Win – New York Minute
Odds – 2/1
