Prescott to cop seaside prize

Copernican made the long journey from Newmarket to Hamilton worthwhile last week and follows a tried and tested path for Heath House inmates by making a quick reappearance under a penalty.

Sir Mark Prescott is a master at turning out horses quickly to good effect and there was much to like about his three-quarter-length win north of the border.

The slightly longer trip of Brighton’s John Bloor Memorial Handicap will prove no problem but a bigger concern is the gelding’s ability to handle the track as he still looked rather green last time.

That said, he could hardly be in better hands as Prescott has a remarkable 41% strike-rate with his three-year-olds at the seaside venue over the past five seasons and Seb Sanders is the leading jockey at the course over the same period. He will be hard to beat.

Royal Rock drops down a furlong in Kempton’s Digibet Handicap as he bids to atone for his short-head defeat over seven furlongs at Newcastle last time when a short-priced favourite.

It is hard to forget how well Chris Wall’s gelding was travelling at the furlong marker when he seemingly had the race at his mercy only to be caught by the fast-finishing Darfour on the line.

He is 4lb higher here in a tougher race and, remarkably, given the speed he showed last time, this is his first attempt at sprinting.

He remains open to plenty of improvement after just four starts and connections will be keen to recoup their losses.

Sam’s Secret has won two of her three starts since joining Alan Swinbank’s yard but faces her stiffest task of the season in Beverley’s Linda Bradbury 60th Birthday Handicap.

Both the ground and the extended seven-furlong trip are ideal but she moves out of selling company for the first time this year and has actually been dropped 2lb for her latest win such was the strength of the race.

However, she has done well in this grade from a higher mark in the past, is well drawn and it would be no surprise if her shrewd handler were able to eke a little more improvement out of his in-form mare.

The VK Vodka Kick Fillies’ Handicap later on the card is another well-contested five-furlong contest at the Yorkshire venue.

It usually pays to be drawn amongst the high numbers here and Gap Princess makes plenty of appeal from stall 13.

Richard Fahey’s filly ran some sound races last season, including when just touched off over this course and distance on her second start, and made an encouraging return to action when staying on from off the pace at Newcastle.

That run should have blown away the cobwebs, she has already proved herself at this venue and should give a good account in an open event.