Smart performances

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It was day one of the Craven meeting at Newmarket on Tuesday and Charlie Appleby and Godolphin scored with two of their three runners. Cerro Blanco is a big rangy colt by Wootton Bassett and he was reported as the most exciting three year old in the yard and duly won on his first start in the Alex Scott Maiden Stakes over seven furlongs. While William Buick had to sit and wait for a gap to emerge, his mount quickened up smartly in the dip once doing so and won going away by a length and a quarter. The colt had an 'away day' at Wolverhampton recently having proved troublesome in the stalls. However, there was no issue on the Rowley Mile and he looks a Pattern horse in the making. His trainer commented afterwards that he will be found another novice stakes before stepping up in class. 

Andrew Balding is another trainer in fine form - 8 winners during the last fortnight - and the Kingsclere team sent out an across the card double. Prizeland made short work of her three rivals in the twelve furlongs novice stakes at Lingfield. Successful over a mile last term, the daughter of Territories is entered in the Epsom Oaks and having dispatched her opponents by upwards of eight lengths, it would be no surprise to see her contest a trial on her next start. Available at 66/1 (Paddy Power & Sky Bet) for the fillies' Classic, she has got a bright future and looks one to follow.

Switching codes, the Top 40 Prospects in One Jump Ahead have enjoyed a late season purple patch - better later than never - and Arcadian Emperor continued the trend at Clonmel. Touted as a potential Cheltenham Festival bumper candidate at the start of the season, Willie Mullins' charge switched to hurdles following a defeat in a bumper at Leopardstown over Christmas. Runner-up twice at Naas and Clonmel, the Kamsin gelding got off the mark at the third time of asking over timber winning comfortably over two and a half miles. Mark Walsh's mount was always to the fore jumping well and was readily on top at the line. It will be interesting what mark he is given as a result. 

It promises to be a busy and enjoyable week on track with trips to Haydock Park (Wednesday) and Ayr (Friday & Saturday) in the offing. I will be back to update the Diary over the next few days.