Lodger ready to open his account

LODGER is napped to open his account at the third attempt with victory in the skybet.com Maiden Stakes at Newmarket today.

Jeremy Noseda’s three-year-old ran once as a youngster when he finished 10th of 16 behind Persian Majesty on the Rowley Mile in the autumn.

He returned to Newmarket for his reappearance at the Craven meeting and showed improved form to finish a three-length third to Sabre d’Argent, despite looking and running as if he needed the race and in the end just missing out on the runner-up’s slot.

Lodger is sure to have improved for that outing and looks the one to be on in what looks to be just an ordinary contest.

Champion jockey Kieren Fallon has sound prospects of landing a double on Sublimity, for his boss Sir Michael Stoute in the skybet.com Conditions Stakes, and the Lady Herries-trained Wunderwood in the Sky Bet Vegas Classified Stakes.

Sublimity put up a smooth display to get off the mark at York earlier this month when he defeated Fatik by two lengths. He strode out well to draw away under hand riding inside the last of eight furlongs, having been forced to wait for a split between horses before he could challenge for the lead. Sublimity is clearly going the right way and can follow-up today.

Wunderwood, unplaced in a bumper at Newbury in December, has won both his starts on the Flat, a maiden at Lingfield in January and a minor event at Nottingham this month.

The four-year-old put up an improved performance to beat Analyze by three-quarters of a length in the latter event and judged on that effort this progressive gelding should be up to the task facing him at Headquarters.

Barolo, a good third in a hot race at Newbury last time, would not have to improve too much to take the skybetvegas.com Stakes.

In-form Stoic Leader can record his third victory this month in the Lionweld Kennedy Sprint Handicap at Catterick.

Roger Fisher’s improving gelding beat Star Lad by two lengths at Southwell before coming home a length and a half ahead of King’s College Boy at Hamilton.

The handicapper has raised him 6lb for that last success but that does not look enough to stop him scoring again today.

At Stratford the Weatherbys Chase Champion Novices’ Hunters’ Chase can go to smart point-to-pointer Cherokee Run, who showed his well-being with a victory at Wincanton two weeks ago.