Punters have Treat in store
Treat brings Classic form to tomorrow’s Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes and it is hard to envisage defeat in the Newbury contest.
Mick Channon’s charge has lined up in both the English and Irish 1000 Guineas this term, unsurprisingly being well beaten by Irish superfilly Finsceal Beo on both occasions.
However, there is nothing of her calibre in this 10-furlong contest and Treat certainly should be the winner on paper.
After winning a Nottingham maiden last September, connections stepped her up to Group One company and she ran a cracking race to finish second in the Fillies’ Mile, despite not having the clearest of runs.
Treat then showed that run to be no fluke when finishing fourth, beaten five and a quarter lengths, behind Finsceal Beo at Newmarket on her seasonal bow.
Admittedly her subsequent sixth in the Irish Guineas represented a slight drop in form but she was not beaten much further by the winner so it was not too much of a disappointment.
Treat has always been a filly with plenty of size and connections have always been confident this step up to 10 furlongs will see her improve again.
Andrew Balding’s Oceana Gold makes plenty of appeal in the Bathwick Tyres Handicap.
The three-year-old made a winning seasonal bow at Newmarket last month and looks open to improvement given that was only his fourth career start.
Although Oceana Gold has gone up 5lb for that success, the booking of star apprentice William Buick offsets that extra burden and he certainly looks one for the shortlist.
My Love Thomas cost 155,000 guineas at Tattersalls in 2005 and she can repay a fraction of that price tag with victory at Yarmouth.
The Cadeaux Genereux filly clearly has a bit of ability but has yet to build on her maiden victory of last November in two handicap starts to date.
However, she was not beaten far at Nottingham last week after travelling impressively and quickening well in the final furlong.
Ed Dunlop turns her out quickly and she can get off the mark in a race that lacks any real strength in depth.
Dramatic is a typical Sir Mark Prescott-trained three-year-old and he is the pick in Lingfield’s Jackson Lifts Group Handicap.
The Pivotal colt showed little in three all-weather starts earlier in the year but looked to have progressed for a lengthy break when reappearing at Wolverhampton.
Dramatic was an easy five-length winner over Drifting Gold that day and the runner-up has since franked the form with victory at Goodwood.
Prescott excels with this kind of runner and must surely have found him another good opportunity.
Insignia should feel the benefit of a recent run in the Philippa Niel-Mee Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Fontwell.
The five-year-old started out life on the level with John Gosden but failed to live up to expectations and was merely average before being picked p by Alison Thorpe.
His debut second at Worcester was promising and this looks a decent opportunity for Insignia to get off the mark.
Bagan shrugged off a lengthy absence when winning on his fencing bow at Uttoxeter last month and he can follow up in the Tazmyn Rowley Jubilee Handicap Chase back at the same track.
