Gaul Wood can go one better
Tom Dascombe’s charge went down by just a neck on his racecourse bow at Wolverhampton last August, although finishing second to a 100-1 shot might not represent the strongest form.
It was still a fair introduction, though, and given plenty of time to find his feet since, Gaul Wood can make a memorable reappearance.
Zowaina was very green on her debut at Kempton but she is another who should be more streetwise in the Crowhurst Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
A slow start meant she never had a chance last October but Roger Varian should have her a little sharper here.
Athletic hardly helped his chance at Lingfield last time when rearing in the stalls but he can improve on that second place in the Holtye Handicap.
His inexperience saw him take no part in the finish on his first couple of starts and while he finished second last time, he did not help himself by rearing again and hanging across the track.
Community can strike gold in the Back Or Lay At Betdaq.Com Handicap (London Mile Qualifier).
The four-year-old remains pretty unexposed having had just five career starts and she will be having her second shot at handicap company here.
Her first three starts failed to bear fruit but she signed off 2011 in fine style when losing her maiden tag over a mile at Southwell.
Returned to the Nottinghamshire venue for her latest outing, she tried to make all but was eventually run out of it and finished fourth.
Tackling Polytrack here, it will be interesting to see how she fares off a workable mark of 69.
Athletic appears to be a slow learner, but if the penny can finally drop, he might be a nice handicap prospect.
Paul Nicholls never shirks a challenge and the fact that Cedre Bleu starts his career over fences in the Zenergi Novices’ Chase at Newbury is noteworthy.
A 10-length winner on his British debut over hurdles, he was then blown away by Spirit Son, prompting Nicholls to decide his career would be over fences this term.
Still only five, he could be anything.
