Maidens In Waiting winner Kurakka (3/1)

Majborough got his chasing career firmly back on track with a dominate display in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase. The former Triumph Hurdlle winner lost his unbeaten record over fences when a close third in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March. Despite showing a tendency to jump his left, Mark Walsh's mount outclassed his five opponents galloping them into the ground. Leading at the third fence, the five year old never saw another rival thereafter powering away in the homestraight. Willie Mullins has another superstar on his hands and it will be interesting to see which route the Martinborough gelding takes next term. 

The Maidens In Waiting section in Ahead On The Flat have been in terrific form during the last fortnight with Spanish Voice (7/2) and Tattycoram (11/4) scoring, while Gulya should have won at Ascot on Wednesday. The latest success was Kurakka (3/1) in the ten furlongs novice stakes at Chelmsford on Thursday. Alan King's three year old had shaped encouragingly on both his starts at Kempton last backend and confirm it here. An expensive breeze-up buy, his pedigree suggested he will improve over middle distances and that looked the case at the Essex track racing close to the pace before staying on well inside the final furlong and a half. He is one for those valuable three year old handicaps this summer with the King George V Stakes or Golden Gates Handicap Stakes at Royal Ascot a definite possibility. In the same event, Respond, who is featured in the Unraced Three Year Old section, caught the eye staying on well in fourth. Gelded and fitted with a hood, the son of Ghaiyyath was given an educational ride from his wide draw. Making good headway late on, he will have no trouble staying further and is very much a horse to keep an eye on.

The Talking Trainers section had an excellent afternoon at Redcar with the Ed Bethell trained pair Fluorescence (11/8) and See That Storm (7/4) justiying favouritism. The latter looks an prime candidate for the Zetland Gold Cup over the same C&D later this month (26th May). David O'Meara's interview has proved particularly profitable during the early weeks of the season and that trend continued with Raulin (10/1) making all in the concluding ten furlongs handicap. His trainer commented on page 102 of AOTF: "Big and scopey, he should improve as a three year old. He has been gelded and could be well handicapped. He should stay ten furlongs." Finally, Roger Varian's team continue in good form and Jowddah (5/2) made it two from two this season with a narrow success in the seven furlongs fillies' handicap at Yarmouth.