Nottingham
2.20pm
Maygold
I haven’t sat on her before but there is plenty to like about her chances, especially if the ground doesn’t get much softer. She rounded off last season with a course-and-distance win from a horse that won next-time-out, so hopefully a 5lb rise still makes her competitive and Ed continues to have his horses in good form. She did look to improve for her reappearance run last season, though, when she wore the hood that is back on here for the first time since. That headgear move is interesting, but I don’t know what to make of it at the moment!
2.55pm
Sassie
She didn’t get the run of the race when I rode her on her reappearance at Goodwood last week, so you had to be very happy with her fifth there in the circumstances. If that run has brought her on then I would be expecting a bold showing, for all she didn’t shine on her only previous start at this track, albeit on fast ground. I think there is more to come from her and the ease in the ground is a positive.
3.30pm
Heavenly Holly
She was a very progressive filly last season and she was obviously primed for the all-weather finals day at Lingfield last month, and she delivered in style from the front. If she can translate that improvement to the turf here – and this is her debut on grass – then of course she has excellent claims, for all it is a very competitive and tight-knit Listed race. She is probably my best chance of the day.
4.40pm
Highfaluting
He didn’t show a great deal when I rode him last season, or on his reappearance, but he obviously took a big step forward when just touched off on his turf debut at Windsor last month. He went up 3lb for that narrow defeat for me there, but this is just his fifth start as a 5yo, and you would have to hope that he can continue to progress and make up for lost time.
5.15pm
Soul Searching
She looks to have put up two modest performances either side of her Wolverhampton second in February, so she will have to return to her best to have chances here. But she is a well-bred filly who should be suited by the step up in trip, so I hope we will see a better horse here on her handicap debut.
