Sport

Seven is Heaven sent at Ascot

Frankel colt Seven Heavens can finally be trusted to do the business when he reports for duty at Ascot this afternoon.

John Gosden’s inmate is far from the most straightforward of animals but perhaps this drop in trip might do for him in the Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes.

The world looked his oyster when he won so stylishly at Goodwood and at Ascot last summer, but it all went a little wrong in the Dewhurst at Newmarket.

Seven Heavens pulled way too hard for his own good and ended up finishing last behind Churchill.

It was a similar sort of story, but nowhere near as dramatic, upon his return to the fray in a seven-furlong Listed race at Newmarket a fortnight ago.

He was again very keen, but at least showed a glimpse of his quality to finish third behind the very useful Whitecliffsofdover.

Seven Heavens is, at this stage of his career, not one to trust implicitly.

But if the in-form Gosden’s decision to ditch the hood and try him back over six furlongs have an uplifting effect, he could suddenly become a reformed character.

He is also one of just three runners with the benefit of a run this season, which cannot possibly be a bad thing.

It will be great to see Harbour Law back in the game for the Longines Sagaro Stakes, and he should get the job done.

Last season’s St Leger hero must give away weight to his seven rivals in this Group Three, but this powerfully-built animal still has a cracking chance.

Such was the breathless strides he made during his Classic year, there is every hope he could have developed into an even better horse as a four-year-old.

Trainer Laura Mongan certainly thinks so, and now he gets the opportunity to prove it.

Ennaadd can get back to winning ways in the Rundle’s Paradise Stakes.

Roger Varian’s charge is not rated as highly as 113 on a whim, and though he could not continue his winning spree on All-Weather Finals Day, he was only beaten two lengths by Sovereign Debt.

Ennaadd suffered traffic problems that day, too, while the languid gallop also did him no favours.

Even in a spite of having to give weight away, the four-year-old should be well up for this.

Best bet at Pontefract could be Intense Romance, who runs in the Colonel And Mrs Padgett Handicap.

Michael Dods’ three-year-old has held her form well since winning back-to-back races in the winter.

She was also an eyecatcher at Ripon last time when she finished third in a six-furlong handicap - despite having been drawn in the wrong part of town.

Nap: Seven Heavens

(3.45: Ascot)

Double: Harbour Law

(3.10: Ascot)

Treble: Ennadd

(4.20: Ascot)

Yankee: Intense Romance

(5.10: Pontefract)