Luca Cumani’s string have clicked into gear over the last few weeks and his Dubara catches the eye at Salisbury today.
Home bred by his wife’s Fittocks Stud, the Dubawi filly opened her account at the fifth time of asking last season, and reappearing at Newmarket in April against race-fit rivals, she shaped with a great deal of promise.
In against colts, the John Gosden-trained winner Tricorn is now rated 99 having won that day off 85, while the runner-up also went close next time off a 9lb-higher mark.
As Dubara was beaten five-and-a-half lengths, the handicapper left her alone – but she may have achieved more than it initially appeared at the time and the British Stallion Studs EBF Margadale Fillies’ Handicap might not be as hot.
Joseph Tuite is another trainer among the winners and his Red Alert should go well in the Sharp’s Doom Bar Handicap.
A winner at Chelmsford in February, he was given a break before running again at Salisbury in May in a race which has worked out well.
The winner, Andrew Balding’s Scorching Heat, ran off 76 but went close in a much tougher race at Newmarket on Saturday off 82.
Red Alert is entitled to strip a good deal fitter with that under his belt and with Tuite in red-hot form there are not many negatives.
William Haggas’ Hakeem won on his debut and now finds himself in the Racing Welfare Handicap at Yarmouth.
Whether a mark of 77 is lenient or not we will find out after this, but Haggas is a master of placing his horses so he obviously thinks it is fair enough.
It appears he caught connections on the hop when winning first time as he was a bigger price than a stable companion, but the form is working out.
While the second disappointed on soft ground next time at Wetherby, the 150/1 third, Lady Freyja, has come out and won by seven lengths in a Newmarket maiden.
Emma Lavelle’s See The World has never fulfilled his early promise but he might start to do that now he is sent chasing.
On his racecourse debut in a Wincanton bumper, he pulled himself up to a walk in the home straight before consenting to run on again to win in incredible style.
His career has been held up by a succession of setbacks, but he should know more about the game on his second run over fences.
He meets plenty of exposed rivals in the bookies.com Free Bets Handicap Chase at Southwell.
Nap: Dubara
(4:00 Salisbury)
Double: Red Alert
(3:30 Salisbury)
Treble: Hakeem
(3.45: Yarmouth)
Yankee: See The World
(6:30 Southwell)
