Bell hoping Furnace can fire

Michael Bell reported the well-regarded Furnace to have improved from his debut win at Newmarket ahead of his Group Three assignment at Sandown on Saturday.

The Green Desert colt is one of nine declared runners in the Iveco Daily Solario Stakes over an extended seven furlongs having previously confirmed his tall home reputation at Headquarters earlier this month.

Furnace, who holds entries in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes and Racing Post Trophy in October, will again be ridden by Jamie Spencer.

“I’m very happy with him, he’s in good health,” said Bell.

“He’s done one main bit of work since Newmarket, which went well. It’s quite a tight race but he looks to have come on for his run when he did it the hard way, coming from the middle of the track. We haven’t overdone him at home and he’s entitled to improve, which puts him bang there.”

Sylvester Kirk is vying for consecutive Solario Stakes victories with the George Baker-ridden Caldra.

The Upper Lambourn-based handler won last year’s renewal with Opera Cape and looks to have another live chance this time judged the two-year-old’s impressive success at Salisbury.

Although the ground was softer than ideal for him earlier in the month, the Elnadim gelding showed a neat turn of foot to score by half a length.

Kirk believes the expected better ground at Sandown will play to Caldra’s strengths – but acknowledged his charge still has quite a bit on his plate at the Esher venue.

“He’s in great form but it’s not exactly the best form to be going into a Group Three race with though,” he said. He was disappointing on his first two runs but did very well at Salisbury last time when the ground was on the good to soft side.

“We think a lot of him and would just like to see if we can get in the first three with him. I won the race last year but this is a different type of horse.

“The good ground should suit him a lot better and hopefully he’s come on for Salisbury and run a nice race.”

Mark Johnston is double-handed with Drumfire and Vintage Stakes third Kirklees, while Alan King is responsible for Leicester winner Nightinshining.

Richard Hannon’s Norisan, third in a Listed heat at Ascot last time out, is also engaged and hails from a yard that won the Solario with Redback in 2001 and King’s Ironbridge a year earlier.

Brian Meehan’s Danebury Hill, the Kevin Ryan-trained Prince Golan and Rabbit Fighter complete the line-up.