Mr Wagyu looks a tasty proposition at Thirsk on Wednesday afternoon when he has his sights slightly lowered in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Handicap.
John Quinn’s eight-year-old has been a consistent performer in the sprinting ranks over the past few seasons and gave signal he was ready to return to the winner’s enclosure with a fine effort in defeat at Royal Ascot.
On that occasion he was beaten just shy of three lengths in a typically competitive running of the Wokingham and with the right horses finishing close by, the form looks worthy of following.
Given a reprieve from the handicapper since last finding the scoresheet, Mr Wagyu is beginning to look well-handicapped animal.
He was dropped a further 1lb for his Ascot endeavours and now finds himself 5lb lower than when taking the Curragh’s Scurry handicap last summer and just a 1lb higher than his victory at Epsom prior to that.
John Wainwright’s Biplane appeals in the Northern Safety Limited Handicap.
The consistent five-year-old relished the drop back to seven furlongs at Redcar recently and although she has a stiff looking figure to contend with, she has seemed to enjoy a switch to turf of late. It would be no surprise to see her well in the mix once again.
Now that Tralee Hills is back to form, Simon Hodgson’s charge could be poised to land Epsom’s Betfred Ladies’ Derby Handicap for a second time.
The nine-year-old was an impressive winner of this contest in 2021 and although following up that victory on his next start, he had failed to plot his way to the winner’s enclosure until striking at Bath in April.
That was the perfect way to step up on his seasonal reappearance at Pontefract and with 2021 winning rider Serena Brotherton inked in to do the steering, a repeat of his finest hour could be on the cards.
Another course specialist to keep onside on the Surrey Downs is the locally-trained Marlay Park who is back for another crack at the Betfred Challenge Cup August 12 Handicap.
Jim Boyle’s five-year-old finished second in this contest 12 months ago, but has since found the scoresheet twice over course and distance and in two other runs at the track was beaten a neck
when second and made the podium once again to finish third last month.
IRISH NEWS YANKEE
NAP: My Wagyu (5.20: Thirsk)
DOUBLE: Biplane (4.50: Thirsk)
TREBLE: Tralee Hills (6.20: Epsom Downs)
YANKEE: Marlay Park (8.00: Epsom Downs)
