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Sam King returns with three selections on this marvellous Monday including a strong fancy at Hamilton.
Ed Bethell recorded his breakthrough Group 1 success as a trainer this season and his sole runner on Monday, Cavalier Approach, looks to hold strong claims in the Barbara Ann Letham & Son Jonathan Memorial Handicap (4.05 – Hamilton).
The three-year-old gelding wasted no time in getting off the mark for his new stable when making all for a commanding success over five furlongs here in August and he had excuses for a below-par performance at Carlisle next time.
Stepping up to six furlongs for the first time could easily unlock some further improvement and it wouldn't be at all surprising if he managed to dominate this contest off the front end. I'm expecting Callum Rodriguez to be ultra-positive on this son of Profitable from the gates and back at the Scottish venue where his trainer has sent out six winners from his last sixteen runners (38%), he could take some pegging back with an unexposed profile.
Selection: Cavalier Approach – General 9/2
We head to Wolverhampton for our second selection, and I'm pleased to see some early market support for Toplight in the Follow AtTheRaces On Twitter Handicap at 6.30.
He started off life in the care of Chelsea Banham before a couple of years with Tony Carroll and recently returned to the Banham stable. You know what you get with this gelded son of Bated Breath really, a horse who goes very well under today's conditions (four-time course and distance winner) and is more than capable of scoring off marks in the mid-50s when things go to plan.
The five-year-old shaped as though he needed the run a touch when seventh on his return from a break at Chelmsford towards the end of August and a 3lb drop in the weights for that effort will certainly do no harm. A current mark of 49 puts him 3lb lower than his last winning mark, which came over course and distance back in March, and with things likely to set up nicely from stall one, it's easy to see why he's been the subject of some money this morning.
Selection: Toplight – General 4/1
Leicester hosts seven races this afternoon and I fancy Buddy's Beauty to put behind a recent mishap by getting back to winning ways in the Dale Hall & Hickman Associates Handicap at 3.50.
There's no doubt she clearly comes with risks attached having refused to enter the stalls at Goodwood last time, but she looked progressive prior and is surely capable of better than a mark of 68.
The John Gallagher-trained filly clearly has plenty of raw ability and showed that when making a winning handicap debut to defy her 20/1 odds at Nottingham back in June. The daughter of Equiano proved that to be no fluke when demolishing her rivals over today's course and distance with an all-the-way success and she was probably a touch unlucky not to complete the hat-trick back at Nottingham, having been carried left at the start by the eventual winner before being narrowly beaten at the line.
The beginning of the contest will be crucial in her bid to regain the winning thread this afternoon, but if getting away on terms, she could take plenty of catching with the profile of a progressive sprinter.
Selection: Buddy's Beauty – General 9/2