Stick with Striker

Apologies for not updating the Diary for a few days, I have been away from home having worked at Haydock on Saturday and Redcar on Bank Holiday Monday. The Top 40 Prospects have hardly been covering themselves in glory in recent days. Photographer's attitude looked questionable at Leicester on Monday, while Herdwick is proving bitterly disappointing. His stablemate Red Striker had his third career start at Lingfield on Tuesday and, having been heavily supported overnight, Sir Michael Stoute's charge drifted markedly on the day. Stepping up to ten furlongs at the Surrey track, he was drawn wide and Ryan Moore was forced to drop him in early on. To say the son of Sea The Stars was given a sympathetic ride during the final stages of the race is something of an understatement. Crossing the line in fifth, he is now eligible for handicaps and hopefully he will leave his previous form behind. His performance typified the way the horses are running at present. I suggest readers stay loyal to the Fred Done and Sir Alex Ferguson owned colt.

Richard Fahey has his team in tremendous order at present - 16 winners in the last fortnight - and the head of Musley Bank reportedly runs a promising juvenile at Ripon tomorrow evening (6.35). Silver Dust is a son of Clodovil who cost 57,000gns and he has been catching the eye on the gallops at Malton. While there are only seven runners, it looks a decent contest and the Archie Watson trained Rockin Roy, who won at Beverley on his debut, sets the standard. Silver Dust is expected to be suited by a step up to six furlongs in due course but a bold showing at the Garden Racecourse is anticipated on Wednesday evening.