12/01/17 Straight From The Trainers Mouth

Mike De Kock (Meydan)

2:30 Fawree 11/8

Fawree is a very problematic horse, if he gets through the gates in good order like last week he can challenge for the money. He is talented. I’ve kept Bernard Fayd’ Herbe on Fawree because he’s done plenty of hard work with him, including at the stalls. I’m not going to break them up now.

★★★★☆

2:30 Mazeed 3/1

Christophe is on Mazeed, who will be near peak fitness now and is a nice, tough horse who will also make his presence felt. I think Doug Watson’s runner Bee Jersey will be a tough rival for us, he ran very well on his debut.

★★★★☆

4:50 Tahanee 7/1

Tahanee is a nice filly showing us plenty of ability at home and is bound to go close to winning if she brings her work to the track. If all goes well we’ll be aiming her at the fillies features, the Balanchine and the Cape Verdi are two possibilities. She’s had a layoff, she’s probably 85% fit and will improve, but she can run!

★★★★★

6:35 Sanshaawes 7/1

Sanshaawes knows how to go around this track, he ran a good race in fourth to Light The Lights last week and he took the run extremely well. He can surprise back in a handicap. Whistle Stop also pulled up well after his run last week and he should make good improvement after running on from a wide berth over 1400m last week. He is very capable on his day and is better suited to the extra ground.

★★★★☆

Malcom Jefferson

2.50 Catterick Ballyben 7/1

Ballyben bids to become our second winner of the Yorkshire Grand National tomorrow (weather permitting!). He seems in very good form at home and the ground conditions will suit. Catterick is not the obvious place for him but over the extended trip he should be fine. He looks likely to stay the trip though obviously you don’t know until you try and it looks likely to be a strongly run affair.

★★★★☆

Nigel Twiston Davies

3.40 Leicester Dawn Missile 11/1

A recruit off the flat, he's had two runs for us so far, finishing down the field at Warwick over 2m 5f then an encouraging 3td of 12 at Huntingdon a couple of weeks ago. Making good progress and likely to show more again here over the shorter trip, a good run is expected with each way prospects.

★★★☆☆

Ed Dunlop

4.00 Newcastle Moamar 9/1

Moamar ran with a little promise in a strong Maiden at Chelmsford and I hope he can improve on that on his second start. Mums The Word is an eight raced Maiden but she sets a strong standard and has been rated as highly as 87. Artic Sea was fourth in Moamar’s Maiden last time and whilst he was beaten by nearly ten lengths he still ran to a rating in the low seventies, Nick Vedder improved last time but still only ran to a mark of around 66 and with Jordan Vaughan only able to claim three today it means he has effectively only ran to 64 on these terms. Dance Dan Dan’s siblings have not set the racecourse alight but he will not have to be a world beater to make the frame. Our horse ran to a mark around 60 on his debut and got a little tired late in the race having been keen early on, he will hopefully strip fitter today and if he can step forward by three or four lengths then he has a chance of making the frame.

★★★☆☆