David Allan and Tim Easterby head to Nottingham on Thursday on the back of a Catterick treble, with two rides together late on the card. Here is how their afternoon could play out.
Catterick treble edges the partnership towards 1,000
Wednesday was one to remember for the Great Habton partnership. Bladey Lady got the ball rolling at 7/4 in the 6f nursery, before Fairydale finally shed her maiden tag at the 14th time of asking as the 15/8 favourite in the 2m handicap. Vince Le Prince then completed the treble, landing the second division of the 7f handicap at 13/8 favourite.
That hat-trick took the pair to 997 winners together. With only two rides on Thursday, the 1,000 cannot come up at Colwick Park, but a double would leave them standing on the threshold of a landmark milestone.
Garden Oasis (4.18pm Nottingham)
First up is the veteran Garden Oasis in the Class 5 Hospitality At Nottingham Racecourse Handicap over 1m2f50y. The 11-year-old carries 9st 10lb off an official rating of 66 and is a 10/1 shot at the time of writing, in a competitive 14-runner field headed by Celestias Comet at 5/1.
Form figures of 423375 show Easterby’s stalwart is still running his races, with three top-three finishes in his last six starts. That said, there is no win in that sequence, and he will need to find a little more on good ground to regain the winning thread.
Spirit Of Applause (4.50pm Nottingham)
The more interesting of the pair comes in the finale. Spirit Of Applause lines up in the 15-runner Class 5 Construction Day 14th Oct Handicap over 6f18y, again carrying 9st 10lb, this time off an official rating of 68.
The six-year-old’s record is a tale of two levels. As GG’s Andrew Mount highlights in his daily preview, he has lost all 40 of his starts in Class 4 or better company, yet has won five of his 15 at Class 5. His latest effort was a fifth of 12 in a Class 4 handicap at Redcar, so this drop back in grade looks just what he needs.
He was a 13/2 chance at the time of writing, behind 5/1 market leader Act Of Violence. Mount has the gelding among his best bets of the day, and back at his favoured level he can give the yard a fitting end to Thursday’s card.
Key times for Allan and Easterby today
4.18pm – Garden Oasis, Hospitality At Nottingham Racecourse Handicap
4.50pm – Spirit Of Applause, Construction Day 14th Oct Handicap