MIDAIR can open his account at the third time of asking in the British EBF Future Stayers Oath Novice Stakes at Nottingham.
Many a smart horse has won at the Midlands venue over the years, not least the 1999 Derby winner after whom this race is named as well as three other recent winners of the premier Classic in Golden Horn (2015), Adayar (2021) and Desert Crown (2022).
It would be optimistic in the extreme to suggest Midair can go on to scale such lofty heights, but he has shown enough in his two starts to date to suggest a race such as this is within his compass.
A son of Frankel out of Group Two-winning mare Modern Look, the Juddmonte-owned juvenile was never really able to get competitive after a slow start on his Newmarket debut, but shaped a good deal better at Goodwood last month.
The youngster sweated up beforehand and was keen during the race, so it is testament to his ability that he managed to get within a length of hot favourite Caviar Heights, who has since been well held in the Royal Lodge but is rated in the mid-90s.
The training partnership of Roger and Harry Charlton has been among the winners over the past couple of weeks and with further improvement anticipated, Midair is expected to add to their tally.
Spanish Poet gets the vote in the British Stallion Studs EBF Nursery Handicap.
Ralph Beckett's juvenile looked a smart prospect when devouring testing conditions on his way to an introductory win at Sandown, but the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury proved a bridge too far.
As a son of Lope De Vega, the return to an easier surface ought to see him in a better light and a mark of 84 for his handicap debut looks fair enough.
The unbeaten Mezzo Soprano is rated the best bet on the all-weather at Kempton in the opening Unibet Horserace Betting-Operator Of The Year Handicap.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel has a long way to go to pay back her E360,000 price tag, but has made a perfect start with two comfortable novice wins in the north at Catterick and Thirsk respectively.
Mezzo Soprano moves into the handicap sphere from an opening perch of just 75 and with champion jockey William Buick booked for the ride, she looks to have been found a perfect spot to strike again.
Sure Touch can make a successful debut over fences at Ludlow.
The seven-year-old won four of his 10 outings over hurdles and very nearly made it five when beaten a head on his most recent appearance at Catterick 11 months ago.
Sure Touch's fitness has to be taken on trust after a lengthy absence, but trainer Olly Murphy has his string in excellent form at this early stage of the season and a drop back in distance for the JSR Construction Industrial Concrete Flooring Novices' Limited Handicap Chase looks the right way to go.
NAP Midair (3.12 Nottingham)
DOUBLE Spanish Poet (3.47 Nottingham)
TREBLE Mezzo Soprano (4.17 Kempton)
YANKEE Sure Touch (3.20 Ludlow)
