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Back Bethell and Coe to exploit nice mark
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Minor Thirsk event could hold the key to success
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Can Swift produce another Koji masterclass?
Southwell, 20.30 - Back Coedana @ 4/15.00
The middle-distance fillies maiden run at Thirsk in the middle of June appeared a relatively insignificant event at the time, but as the season has worn on, the class 5 affair has assumed greater prominence for a race of its class.
The winner, Ghaiyya, supplemented her Thirsk success by following up twice at Chester saw her rating rise from 72 to 85, while runner-up Brielle bolted up at Hamilton next time out before running highly creditably off 82 in a warm York handicap.
Third-home back in June was Coedana who looked like she was still learning on the job at the Yorkshire venue and time has told she arguably faced an impossible task on her penultimate start over course and distance when trying to resist the challenge in the straight of Understudy.
That rival went on to be placed in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, before finishing an honourable fourth in a Deauville Group 3 last month.
Unsurprisingly, the King Of Change filly has lacked the gears on her last two starts to win those events, but the rivals she tackles here are, in general, a lot more exposed and she could well exploit a mark of just 74.
Back Coedana to Win 20:30 Southwell
Wolverhampton, 20.45 - Back Koji each-way @ 7/18.00
Quite what mood Koji will be in is anybody's guess by the time of the finale at Dunstall Park, however the Kodiac filly is more than capable of producing a race-winning performance when fully motivated.
Hopefully, that will be the case here as the selection has twice confounded the market in recent times, not least on her stable debut for current connections at Thirsk.
Sent off at a Betfair sp of 160 on her penultimate start, Koji was given a beautiful ride by Dale Swift who smuggled his mount into a collapsing pace to hit the front before she even realised she was at the line.
Swift has won two of his four starts aboard Seb Spencer's four-year-old and there is little doubt she does take some knowing, but if the front-running Coast sets a strong gallop and the likes of Eldeyaar, Macarone and How's The Guvnor help press an honest pace, I could see Koji her and partner appearing late down the middle of the Wolverhampton straight to pick up the pieces, providing of course she doesn't drop herself out too far in the first place.
Back Koji, E/W, in 20:45 Wolverhampton
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