Ballarina’s time has finally come
The Eric Alston-trained eight-year-old has not won since November 2012, but she served notice her time might be near again at Redcar in April.
Despite having been off the track since last August, Ballarina showed plenty of early pace in a five-furlong handicap before understandably emptying out towards the line.
The daughter of Compton Place should be far fitter with that blowout in the bag and is only 1lb higher than when she was only narrowly denied at Thirsk last summer.
Ballarina is a renowned frontrunner so she could be very difficult to pass granted a crisp start from stall five.
It could be a big day for Alston, whose Spavento is taken to shine in the Cadzow Castle Fillies’ Handicap.
Tenbridge can add further gloss to her fine record at Chepstow by claiming the 32Red Casino Handicap.
The Derek Haydn Jones-trained five-year-old has only once finished out of the frame at the Monmouthshire circuit, winning twice, and is back at a most appealing mark.
She is also in pretty good form after having posted an encouraging effort over a mile at this track a few weeks ago.
Tenbridge was well held by Sweet Martoni in an 11-runner handicap on soft ground, but she plugged away to take fourth place.
That was a marked improvement on recent efforts, but it is quite possible that she is a marginally better horse over this seven-furlong trip in any event.
Tenbridge has always done her best work when there is cut in the ground, while she is now 1lb lower than when victorious at Chepstow last August.
Jezza can be considered a valid contender for top honours in the Visit And Dine In The Panoramic Handicap at Kempton.
Karen George’s stayer struggled on his last two starts but he should be in a better frame of mind back at the Sunbury circuit and with Richard Hughes up top.
Hughes did the steering about Jezza over course and distance last October, when the combination finished a decent second behind Bramshill Lass.
The eight-year-old is obviously not getting any quicker, but he does get two miles pretty well and is just 2lb higher than when he won at Wolverhampton in March.
Cajoling, a highly accomplished scorer at Windsor, must have every chance in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley, with Badea likely to go close in the Thwaites Brewery Handicap Hurdle at Cartmel.
