Some decent racing today but I can’t find anything of real value and so will keep my powder dry. Sir Michael Stoute unleashed a useful type, the beautifully bred, PETERHOF who, in keeping with the better juveniles in the Barbadian’s care, at this stage of the season, was a winner first time out on the all-weather at Lingfield Park. A Derby entry, he will probably be among the yard’s best 3-year old’s next season.

Half an hour later, an even more impressive juvenile, this time from the Godolphin operation, CLASSIC COLLECTION was a facile 6-length winner and oozed class throughout. Keep an eye out for this one as he progresses.

Sir Mark Prescott’s ALBA VERDE surely has the absolute modus operandi of a horse from the yard. Owned by Kirsten Rausing, a winner last twice, so progressive, entered in 5 days time in a similar contest. Regrettably though such forensic information adds up to a short-price and I’m sure anyone who has even micro-knowledge of the subject will be able to pick this one out. Selecting such horses is not the MO of this blog now or in the future.

Racehorsingman

I want to take on El Namoose in the closing bumper (5:20) at Huntingdon later today. It is notoriously difficult for those penalised runners to succeed in these contests. The historic record of this race supports this theory, albeit not unequivocally and Purple Bay, a similar sort from the same stable, was beaten at odds-on carrying one such penalty last season.

Charlie Longsdon won that one and might this year with Kiteney Wood, an ex-Irish pointer, though something tells me that the Oliver Sherwood beast, Kilgeel Hill, about which I've read good reports, will prevail. You don't get much better family genetics than Oscar (sire) and Executive Perk (dam-sire). Whatever happens today, I suspect we will hear a lot more about Kilgeel Hill.

Seolan is of major interest in the 7-furlong handicap (3:40) at Leicester back on her favoured soft ground. Roger Charlton's lightly raced type won her first two starts in Ireland (for Mr Prendergast and Mr Deegan) on bad ground and then twice proved unsuccessful across the pond on much faster going. With Danehill Dancer as her dam-sire, cut is almost certainly a pre-requisite and there will be plenty of the stuff at Leicester, I'm sure. Buick rides. The one black mark is a 409-day absence from the track.

Racehorsingman

Nothing of great interest for tomorrow though a couple of interesting maiden fillies in the 3:00 at Salisbury. Rae Guest, specialist trainer of fillies, saddles Miniskirt whilst Mick Channon has Victoria Bird, more exposed, but promising for handicaps going forward.

Both have been absent for some considerable time, suggesting training problems, which tempers enthusiasm for a wager on either or, indeed, both but you could do worse than a reverse exacta or forecast.

No selection, though two for the little black book...

I saw Doing Fine beat the the highly rated and useful Carraig Mor and win at Ascot last November. I made a mental note of him then.

Today, the son of Presenting out a Montelimar mare - prime jumping stock - makes his chasing debut at his trainer's home track of Ffos Las this afternoon in what looks a fairly competitive little novice handicap over 3-miles.

The Curtis yard appears in fine form and top jock Jason Maguire is booked. With an absence of 320+ days the price of 5/1 (backed this morning) is perhaps a tad shorter than I'd prefer. This though is a stable going somewhere and a horse with talent. My nap of the day and a horse (and stable) to follow.

Racehorsingman