Orion’s Bow has enough about him to claim back-to-back renewals of the Betfred Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle this evening.
Having won the big handicap off a mark of 91 last year, when trained by Dandy Nicholls, the six-year-old chestnut will find life tougher off top weight.
That should not mean Tim Easterby is expecting anything other than a huge display from the son of Pivotal.
Easterby fires three shots across the bows in the race, but Orion’s Bow looks the stand-out contender.
And though he was never a factor in the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh a fortnight ago, that run is probably best stricken from the memory.
He was, after all, pinched for room at a crucial stage and was not given a hard time once his chance had gone.
Before that, Orion’s Bow had caught the eye in big sprint handicaps at Haydock and Ripon – so much so that he was sent off favourite at Musselburgh.
There are big races to be won with him this summer and, even in spite of an elevated handicap mark, his quality can shine through for Easterby, who showed at Royal Ascot last week he has few peers on the big occasion.
David Simcock’s horses are in fair form and the Newmarket handler was possibly unlucky not to leave Ascot last week with just one winner on the board.
Auberge Du Lac can keep things nicely ticking over by winning the valuable one-mile handicap at Yarmouth.
Fortune has deserted the three-year-old colt on his last two runs – most notably when he flew home at Ascot in May and ended up finishing a close-up fourth.
It was a similar story at Doncaster just under a month ago when he overcame a tardy start to take fifth place behind Afaak.
This looks a bit tougher, but Auberge Du Lac is in decent order and runs off the same mark as on Town Moor.
By contrast to some of his rivals, he will also be suited by the likelihood of cut in the ground.
John Mackie does a good job with stayers on the Flat and looks to have another nice one in Fire Jet, who runs at Doncaster.
A grand winner at Nottingham in May, Mackie will be happy the handicapper has left the filly alone after she got really close to a double in what was arguably a better race than this at Sandown two weeks ago.
Fire Jet is clearly on an upward curve and deserves respect in the 188Bet-sponsored handicap over an extended mile-and-three-quarters.
What About Carlo will appreciate the recent heavy rain that has fallen when he runs the gauntlet in the mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Newmarket.
Nap: Orion’s Bow
(7:00 Newcastle)
Double: Auberge Du Lac
(4:10 Yarmouth)
Treble: Fire Jet
(4:30 Doncaster)
Yankee: What About Carlo
(8.30: Newmarket)
