One Jump Ahead due to be published early next week

I received notification from the printers this morning that One Jump Ahead should be published on Tuesday next week (19th September) - all orders will be despatched once we receive a delivery. If you haven't already ordered a copy, please head to the Publications section.

There were a couple of decent winners for Ahead On The Flat this afternoon. Pivoine (9/4) made it two out of two since fitted with a visor in the ten furlongs classified stakes at Doncaster. Featured in the Top 40 Prospects, Sir Michael Stoute's three year old has also benefited from being gelded and stepped up in trip this summer. A half length scorer at Town Moor, he can win again before going under the hammer at the end of the season.

The Tony Carroll trained Twilight Spirit (6/1), who is included in the Handicap Snips section of AOTF, also improved for the addition of headgear when losing her maiden tag at the ninth attempt in a six furlongs handicap at Salisbury. The well bred daughter of Assertive takes after her half-brother Twilight Son in that she likes plenty of ease in the ground and she led close home to prevail by a nose. Seven furlongs appeared to stretch her at Sandown last time. With the handicapper unlikely to react harshly, she is capable of winning again before the end of the year, given her preference for some juice underfoot.

I am heading to Chester tomorrow for Racing UK, while on the other side of the Pennines the final Classic of the season, namely the St Leger, takes place at Doncaster. The Top 40 Prospects is represented by Coronet, who bids to follow in the hoofprints of User Friendly (1992) and Simple Verse (2015) by winning the race for the fairer sex, and Crystal Ocean. The former ought to relish the step up to a mile and six having stayed on behind stablemate Enable in the Yorkshire Oaks last time and she is the chosen mount of Frankie Dettori who favours her over Goodwood Cup winner Stradivarius. The latter, however, would be my selection having been a big fan of Sir Michael Stoute's charge throughout his three year old career. Placed in the Dante and King Edward VII Stakes at York and Royal Ascot respectively, the son of Sea The Stars was an emphatic three and a half lengths winner of the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last time. I think he will develop into a very smart middle distance performer next season and, while I am not convinced he is crying out for fourteen furlongs, I am hopeful his class will see him through. Indeed, he reminds me a lot of the stable's only Leger winner Conduit, who prevailed in 2008.