3 minute read

Adam Houghton flags up three trainers who are in good form at present and picks out some interesting horses that may run for them in the coming days.

Flat trainer: Owen Burrows

Recent evidence may be thin on the ground, but Owen Burrows appears to have his team in terrific form at present, with two winners and three placed from just six runners in the month of June to date. The trainer will be hoping to add to that tally in the coming days and would appear to hold obvious claims of doing so with the exciting Talaayeb at Newbury on Thursday. She ran a huge race for one so inexperienced when three and a half lengths fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last time and is fancied make the most of what looks a good opportunity in the listed Ballymacoll Stud Stakes, with the step up to ten furlongs expected to see her in an even better light. Meanwhile, Enjazaat gave Burrows a first two-year-old winner of the season when successful at Yarmouth last week and the trainer could quite possibly double up with Mokaatil at Yarmouth on Wednesday. He shaped with promise when second on his racecourse bow at Salisbury recently and should know more with that initial experience under his belt. The unraced duo Manthoor and Mutafarrid could also make their respective debuts in the coming days.

Jumps trainer: Philip Hobbs

Philip Hobbs enjoyed a typically productive campaign in 2016/17, saddling a century of winners for the fourth year in succession, and tasting Grade 1 glory at both Cheltenham and Aintree courtesy of the exciting Defi du Seuil. The juvenile is now as short as 8/1 for next year's Champion Hurdle and Hobbs will be hoping he can emulate his 2003 winner Rooster Booster. There is still plenty to keep the trainer occupied in the meantime, however, and he has certainly made a fine start to the new season, with five winners from his last 11 runners. Brother Tedd didn't need to improve to belatedly get off the mark over fences at Uttoxeter recently, but should continue to give a good account and will be of interest if attempting to follow up at Newton Abbot on Friday. Wolftrap, on the other hand, has something to prove following a disappointing chasing debut at Ffos Las last time. He had shaped well on his reappearance the time before, however, and cannot be discounted if switching back to hurdles at Fontwell on Thursday, having now dropped to a mark just 3 lb higher than when winning at Ludlow in November.

Under the radar: Eve Johnson Houghton

Eve Johnson Houghton could hardly be in better form at present, with eight winners from her last 26 runners at the time of writing, and was unlucky not to add to her tally with stable star What About Carlo at Epsom last week. Connections will have been disappointed on the day - the six-year-old endured a troubled passage and did well in the circumstances to be beaten just half a length - but three winners in the intervening period can be considered ample compensation for Johnson Houghton, and she has plenty more chances to come in the next few days. On To Victory also fared better than the bare result when second on his most recent outing at Sandown, conceding first run to the winner and ultimately doing well to finish as close as he did. He remains open to more improvement after just seven starts and will be of definite interest if turned out quickly at Goodwood on Friday. Finally, Reaver is another to note at Sandown that same day. He proved better than ever when making a successful return at Nottingham in April and remains on a good mark, with the prospect of more to come now stepping up in trip.