Wednesday Review

I was working at Catterick on Wednesday and the highlight by some margin was provided by Warby in the juvenile fillies' novice stakes over five furlongs. The daughter of Ardad had shaped encouragingly on her debut over C&D last month and confirmed it here with a convincing success. Tim Easterby's runner made all the running before stretching away inside the final furlong. A two lengths winner, I spoke to her trainer afterwards and suggested the £100,000 Alice Keppel Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Goodwood (29th July) later this month. She will need to improve but is speedy and held in high regard. Tim was hoping she would have been a Royal Ascot contender but met with a minor setback in the spring. 

Top 40 entry Kokbastau made his belated seasonal reappearance following an absence of 292 days in a ten furlongs maiden at Yarmouth. Roger Varian spoke fondly about the Wootton Bassett colt in February hence he made his racecourse bow in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes at Newbury last summer. Held up in a steadily run affair, Ray Dawson's partner never really landed a blow in third but he stayed on nicely at the death and ought to improve markedly for the outing. He is one to bear in mind on his next start.

Half an hour earlier, Starlight Lass made it two wins from three starts in the one mile fillies' novice stakes. Featured in the Unraced Three Year Olds section of AOTF, the well bred Dubawi filly has improved with each start and following her decisive win at Newmarket last time, the John & Thady Gosden trained runner defied her penalty easily making all and crossing the line two and a quarter lengths in front. Black type is likely to be on her agenda at some stage in the near future.