SHARJA QUEEN seemingly has the right tools to win the EBF Stallions Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday.
A very unexposed daughter of Pivotal, big things are expected of her in this Listed affair over a mile-and-a-quarter after she demolished her rivals over this course and distance early last month. Roger Varian’s three-year-old loved the quick ground in handicap company and absolutely hosed up on the bridle by over six lengths.
Time will tell whether that form is strong, but it looked a fair race on paper and Sharja Queen was a cut above. It also represented a marked improvement on anything she had done previously, which suggests she is getting the hang of things.
Sharja Queen was beaten out of sight in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket - some mission for her seasonal debut - after which she went to Chester for a decent handicap. She left the Roodee with credit, having finished second to Sightline on a track which did not really suit. Yet though she easily won a Ffos Las maiden last year on heavy ground, Sharja Queen is clearly a very versatile filly judged by her recent Salisbury surge.
The joint-highest-rated horse in what is not a vintage field, Varian’s inmate rates a good call to collect some all-important black type. See Vermont is due a change of luck in the Dribuild Handicap at Bath. Little has gone right for the likeable eight-year-old this season, but he is handicapped accordingly for this five-furlong dash.
Rebecca Bastiman’s gelded son of Kyllachy competes on the same mark off which he won so well at Chepstow last July and, perhaps just as importantly, he has previously emerged victorious over this course and distance. See Vermont was also a bit of an eyecatcher at Pontefract late last month when he stayed on for fourth, despite having completely made a hash of the start.
Gracesome should hopefully prove her recent spin at Wolverhampton was no fluke in the £10 Free Bet At 32RedSport.com Handicap at Kempton. Michael Blanshard’s five-year-old had looked devoid of promise in seven previous starts, but the step up to a mile-and-a-half did its job as she was not beaten far into third.
The daughter of Shirocco will not be 50/1 this time, but she could easily slip by unnoticed off a humble-looking mark of 50.
IRISH NEWS YANKEE
Nap: Sharja Queen (3:50 Salisbury)
Double: See Vermont (5:20 Bath)
Treble: Gracesome (9:10 Kempton)
Yankee: Bond Bombshell (5:35 Beverley)
