Progressive handicapper

William Haggas sent out 4 winners from 8 runners on Thursday, including an impressive performance by Elnajmm in the one mile handicap at Newcastle. Making his reappearance, the son of Sea The Stars had been gelded during the winter and running in a handicap for the first time of 86. Ridden by promising apprentice Sean Bowen, the four year old made smooth heading with a quarter of a mile to travel before hitting the front soon after. Pushed clear, he was good value for the winning margin of nearly three lengths. Lightly raced and unexposed, he is an interesting prospect for the major one mile handicaps this summer and beyond - the Clipper Logistic Handicap at York (22nd August) looks tailormade for the Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum owned runner.

The sectional times for the Carlisle Bell have been published and they make for interesting reading, although not surprising when referring to the aforementioned Leadenhall. Drawn wide in stall 14, Tim Easterby's runner was the second quickest during the first and third furlongs (12.40 & 11.22 seconds) and the fastest during the fourth furlong (11.24 seconds). Given that, his tame finishing effort - it took him 27.88 seconds to cover the first two furlongs (only 3 runners were slower and they finished 15th, 16th and 17th) is understandable. The facts don't lie and he remains a horse to keep an eye on.