Northern Angle: Boodles May Festival

Wednesday 6 May

FINAL APPEAL

1.30 CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes (5f)

Karl Burke’s colt has an edge of experience after dominating a Wolverhampton novice on his second start. The way he handled the bends on that sharp, turning track suggests he will be at home around the bends here. He also has the benefit of an attacking draw in stall four. What’s more, the horse he beat on the Tapeta (Noble Raider) upheld the merits of the form with a creditable third in a hot class 2 novice at Newmarket on 2000 Guineas day.

PARTISAN HERO

2.05 Join Ladbrokes Bet 5 Get 30 Earl Grosvenor Handicap (7½f)

David and Nicola Barron’s eight-year-old has been aimed at this race and tuned up with a pleasing performance at Musselburgh last month, finishing well over 7f in similar conditions. He returns to the Roodee - a track he ran well at last summer - on an unchanged mark and is well drawn in stall one. Though an infrequent winner for one of his ability, I expect a bold show.

ALAMINOS (NAP)

3.40 American Holidays Handicap (6f)

Had he found a clear passage earlier in the straight, Kevin Ryan’s Pinatubo colt would have almost certainly made a winning reappearance at Pontefract last month. That was only his third career start and I expect him to brush aside a 3lb rise from an ideal draw in stall four, before going on to better things in sprint handicaps this summer in the famous colours of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. 

Thursday 7 May

STRATUSNINE 

1.30 CAA Stellar Handicap (5f)

Hugo Palmer’s gelding didn’t enjoy the best of luck on the all-weather earlier in the year, unshipping Callum Shepherd at the start of the Listed Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park before bumping into the smart Fast Track Harry at Newcastle. Despite that, he gives the distinct impression his best days are still ahead of him. A maiden winner on turf and second on easy ground at York as a juvenile, this son of Far Above can give this a good go if he can secure a prominent position from his middle draw.

STRENGTH OF SPIRIT (NB)

3.40 Xenon Workplace Handicap (7½f)

A Chester winner last summer, Karl Burke’s lightly raced gelding made a winning re-appearance over 1m at Musselburgh last month before a luckless third at Haydock Park last time. He didn’t see much daylight against the far rail that day but still finished well clear of the rest. A career best is required off a mark of 86, but that looks achievable on the balance of his progress so far.

SEAGOLAZO

4.10 Halliwell Jones Handicap (1m2½f)

Hugo Palmer’s gelding won his maiden around Chester as a two-year-old and gave a hint that he may be ready to rediscover his best form off a falling mark on an encouraging return over 1m at Redcar in April. Though faced with a wide draw, the way he stayed on suggested this extra two and a half furlongs will be what he needs at this stage and the first-time visor application can give him that vital edge. The booking of top jockey Tom Marquand is another positive.

Friday 8 May 

ROYAL RHYME

2.35 Group 2 Deepbridge Huxley Stakes (1m2½f)

Freshness got the better of Karl Burke’s six-year-old on his reappearance at The Curragh last month, when he was all the rage for the Group 3 Alleged Stakes. He took the field into the final furlong before tiring but showed he retains all the quality that saw him make the frame in the Group 1 Champion Stakes and the Prix Ganay last autumn. With that outing behind him, this son of Lope De Vega looks a threat to all on a track that should play to his considerable strengths.

ALSAKIB

3.05 Ladbrokes Chester Cup (2m2½f)

 Donald McCain won back-to-back runnings of this race in 2011 and 2012 with Overturn and Il De Re and has another live contender in Alkasib, who has won hurdle races at Musselburgh and Bangor since undergoing wind surgery. A classy performer on the level for Andrew Balding with a Group 3 John Smith’s Silver Cup on his CV, the six-year-old has a strong record at this track, recording a novice victory and thirds in an Ormonde and a Listed race at the Roodee from just three visits. Being a hold-up horse, he will need some luck in running but has the class to overcome his big weight.

SCHRODINGER’S CAT

4.45 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap (5f)

This gelding looked well bought by Yorkshire trainer Grant Tuer for 30,000gns when finishing second in this grade on his stable debut at Thirsk last month. Gelded since winning a Redcar novice on his final start for Harry Charlton, he showed blistering speed behind the well-regarded favourite Simplify and can build on that off just a 2lb higher mark, given a decent attacking draw. 

NIGHTSINWHITESATIN

5.20 Chester Roman Day On 30th May Apprentice Handicap (1m4½f)

Ed Bethell moved quickly to secure the services of promising 7lb claimer Toby Moore for this reliable filly, who was only denied in the final strides over a similar trip at Thirsk on her reappearance. A dual 10f winner at Newbury last summer, the four-year-old grey proved she retains all her ability at the North Yorkshire venue and can make her presence felt in a similar grade with that run under her girth.

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