/ Editor / 10 June 2007 / Leave a Comment

Wolverhampton's Maiden (16:15) over a mile-and-a-furlong looks likely to be a race which will continue the flying form of the Sir Mark Prescott stable in the shape of Hazy Days.

The yard has been mopping up in these types of contests recently and the fact Prescott sends a newcomer here is a notable pointer. Having scored recently with Come April and Bee Eater first time out in the last few days, Hazy Days is sure to be a warm order with the Betfair backers.

The daughter of Lomitas has a mixture of speed and stamina in her pedigree and is bound to know her job at the first time of asking, albeit at expected prohibitive odds, and the trip should not present any problems either.

Value punters on Betfair may look to take her on with Ed Dunlop's promising colt
Commandment, who carries the Highclere colours here and will be the one to challenge Hazy Days.

The son of Titus Livius was subject to favourable reports prior to his Windsor second to Wester Ross. It was a promising effort that day as he clearly didn't handle the
track's turn and the stable also had reservations about the rain-softened ground.

Dunlop's runners invariably improve for the run and this holds a decent chance of causing an upset. Being a half-brother to Road To Love the trip will be favourable too and is arguably the value choice in the race.

Elsewhere, it is hard to get excited about anything else. David Arbuthnot's Calming Waters looks best of the rest.

The Doctor Fong gelding put in a dismal effort recently at Sandown over a mile when finishing nearer last than first. That run should be excused, and judged on two better efforts on Lingfield's Polytrack when second on both occasions gives him a chance to chase home the front two.

The best race on Pontefract's Monday card is the Listed Race (20:15) for Fillies and Mares and with only a small turnout of runners it appears to be a straight match between Expensive and Mount Etoile.

The latter had a very good 2006 over middle distances for William Haggas and turns out here for her first run of the campaign. The four-year-old ran in top company when finishing eighth in Sixties Icon's St Leger and fourth in last season's Oaks.

The daughter of Montjeu comes out top on the BHB official ratings and is sure to be trading pretty short on the Betfair market as the stable won this in 2004 with Chorist, and Mount Etoile will have her favoured fast ground.

However, despite winning at the Royal meeting last June in what was a below-par renewal of the Ribblesdale, there are doubts over this trip being too short for the daughter of Montjeu and that is sure to alert the Betfair layers.

Chris Wall is enjoying a good term with his string and Expensive holds a live chance to take the decent prize on offer here.

The daughter of Royal Applause was disappointing in three runs in Dubai at the start of the year but has put in two excellent performances this campaign. Having won on her seasonal debut at Kempton when taking a Listed race in emphatic style, Expensive put in a decent effort on her latest appearance behind Peter Makin's Harvest Queen - who looks destined to be a Group class filly.

Favourites have won this race for the four years previously and it looks likely this improving filly will be trading pretty short as the ground looks likely to be to her liking too.

Another trainer in form is Luca Cumani, although Home Sweet Home appears too have too much on her plate here.

The daughter of Danehill put in her best performance over six furlongs at this course last season, but on two previous attempts at today's trip she has been poor and should be opposed here.

Fann of Clive Brittain didn't handle Tattenham Corner when finishing eighth in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes earlier this month and is unlikely to trouble the main contenders.

Richard Hannon has been in great form of late and the yard can expect more success from the consistent Black Moma in the 20:05 Handicap at Windsor.

The three-year-old filly comes here on the back of a disappointing effort at Newmarket over six furlongs last April, but that was behind the hugely-impressive Sakhee's Secret in what was a far better race than this and holds an excellent chance.

Her two wins from six outings on turf represents a decent strike rate and she will appreciate this drop down in trip having run over slightly further at HQ previously. The daughter of Averti has got bags of early speed and will love it around Windsor and will undoubtedly be the one that the Betfair backers will be looking to.

Cuppacocoa hails from the in-form Clive Cox stable, and the filly boasts an excellent record having scored on three of her nine outings to date. Her latest effort was disappointing at Beverley in a similar Handicap, although she appeared not to handle the track and weakened badly.

Prior to that, the daughter of Bertolini scored for the third time at Bath in a weaker Handicap than this on faster ground. However, the Cox runner may struggle to win off this current mark of 74.

Baileys Sunshine will have her supporters and has been a model of consistency in her seven runs to date, and provides the value here for the Betfair place backers.

The three-year-old has won twice and been placed four times and put in a really good effort recently when defying top weight to beat Ronnie Howe at Ayr. She is tough and game and clearly enjoys firmer ground (although has won on soft too) but has been raised six pounds for that win and may struggle to repel an obvious improver.

Roger Charlton is a trainer always respected and Gower arrives on the back of three average efforts in Handicap company.

The colt did win his Maiden at Wolverhampton in March, but subsequent efforts may not be good enough here and looks to be too high in the ratings judged on efforts to date.