Alan got his week off to the perfect start with a winner at Pontefract yesterday. This Tuesday, he has two more selections from Catterick and Lingfield...
Richard Fahey targets this race
Back Outrun The Storm @ 3/1 in the 14:00 Catterick
Due to the current weather we are experiencing the aptly named Outrun The Storm could well be the one at Catterick. North Yorkshire-based trainer Richard Fahey has a good record here, winning it four times from the past six renewals and his two-year-old running in the Middleham Park Racing colours looks set to improve that record.
This colt needed every yard of the six furlongs when just getting up on the line at Ayr when last seen. He has had a 7lb hike in the weights for that but he is reunited with Paddy Mathers and the extra furlong today is sure to see the colt improve again.
There may only be five going to post for this intriguing contest and Paws For Thought is the hat-trick seeking market leader for the Tom Dascombe yard. He initially won off a mark of 75 just in and today he is running off 92. The handicapper may have just caught up with the colt.
He's a front running type and I would expect them to keep things simple once again, but they may have a fight on their hands at the front with Broxi who may also want to lead. I can see the two of them burning plenty of energy in the early stages of the race which would leave the door open for a closer like Outrun The Storm.
Cat Royale knows his way around Lingfield
Back Cat Royale Each Way @ 12/1 in the 16:40 Lingfield
This is the 14th start at Lingfield (12th on all weather) for John Butler's seven-year-old Cat Royale, so he knows his way around here and looks to have a chance in this rather weak looking 14-runner field. The blinkers are back on today and the course and distance winner is back off the same mark as when he last tasted success over today's same track and trip and Joshua Bryan takes off a further very useful 3lbs.
His latest run at Chelmsford City wasn't as bad as the eighth place finish suggests, he found himself racing closer to the pace than he would normally want to be. So providing he can settle better in this I can see him being right there at the finish.
I don't think this race will live long in the memory but another one to keep an eye on is the five-year-old mare, Plansina, running for the Adrian Wintle yard. She is another that will probably be coming late in the day, last time out she stayed on late in the race to finish an eye catching fourth and the slightly longer trip today should help her but at the prices, in a race like this, I prefer to back Cat Royale each way at double figures.