Top 40 winner Antipodes (85/40)

Danger Bay (11/2) featured in the Maidens In Waiting section of Ahead On The Flat last year and the New Bay colt justified his inclusion winning twice over nine furlongs at Hamilton before disappointing at York on his final run. His trainer Ed Bethell commented on page 66 of AOTF this year that the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar was his first target and the four year old delivered in style in the ten furlongs contest at the Cleveland track on Monday. Having made smooth headway, Callum Rodriguez's mount stayed on strongly to win comfortably by two and a half lengths off a mark of 94. The John Smith's Cup at York (11th July) looks a realistic target, although there is a £70,000 0-105 ten furlongs handicap on the Knavesmire next month (12th June) which is an option. One word of warning, Dange Bay disappointed at York in September because he bled and may prove best fresh. 

The Top 40 Prospects continue in decent form and Antipodes (85/40) defied an absence of 329 days to win on his belated reappearance at Windsor. Off the track since late June last year, due to a fracture, the lightly raced four year old narrowly won the one mile handicap at the Thames track off a mark of 88. Overcoming his wide draw (stall 10), Ray Dawson did a good job settling his mount in behind the leader Asmen Warrior before the pair had a protracted duel inside the final couple of furlongs. A head winner, the pair pulled four and a half lengths clear of the third. Roger Varian suggested in AOTF that the gelded son of Starspangledbanner will step up to a mile and a quarter in due course - he, too, could be a contender for the John Smith's Cup at York. The Newmarket handler has won that valuable prize twice, including with another four year old Enfjaar in 2024. He has got a bright future.