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Haydock duo worth supporting on handicap bow
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Split-stakes approach may pay off for nursery debuts
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Honrado and Hollie worth one more chance
Leicester, 14:00 - Back Eyes Front @ 13/82.63
The form of Amakhala Warrior's victory last month at Haydock has taken a couple of boosts already and runner-up Eyes Front makes plenty of appeal as he dips a toe into handicap company for the first time.
A 66/1 chance on debut at Windsor when green and backward, the son of Soldier's Call stepped up markedly over today's course and distance on his second start to chase home Amberia.
Well-backed that day with Rob Hornby on board, Eyes Front was beaten by a filly who proceeded to finish fourth in a Newmarket Listed event so there was probably little disgrace in the defeat, even if her followers who supported her into 5/2 favouritism may have been disappointed.
She then came agonisngly close to winning at Haydock when hitting the front inside the distance, although the winner, Amakhala Warrior, would have been considered a highly unlucky loser if he hadn't claimed the runner-up in the dying strides.
A mark of 73 doesn't appear punitive for Edward Smyth-Osbourne's colt who is reunited with the inform Hornby and can make an impact with first-time cheekpieces applied.
Back Eyes Front in the 14:00 Leicester
Leicester, 14:00 - Back Renovatio Angel @ 10/111.00
In contrast to Eyes Front at Haydock who reached 20mph in 2.41secs (3rd best), Renovatio Angel was ranked a slovenly last by the RaceIQ metric in 3.23secs which arguably then set him a stiff task to win on his third career start.
In a messy race for those held up, Tom Dascombe's colt still managed to clock the fastest finishing speed percentage of the race (104.1%) to take fifth, beaten two lengths by the winner.
There should be nothing of that quality in the field today, aside of Eyes Front perhaps, so it seems sensible to take a split-stakes approach and back both eyecatchers from Haydock.
Back Renovatio Angel in the 14:00 Leicester
Leicester, 15:00 - Back Honrado each-way @ 11/26.50
Making excuses for a 20-race maiden rated 46 can be a costly and fruitless exercise, but there are reasons for believing that Honrado might run a little better than his rating suggests in this 0-60 contest.
Firstly Hollie Doyle, on board the Lope De Vega gelding last time when a close up third at Yarmouth, is happy to renew the association aboard Tony Carroll's gelding now that he returns to 12 furlongs and the Midlands venue.
That effort last week was one of the best produced in recent times by the selection who has sported the hood on his last two starts which seems to have made a positive impact on his performances.
His chance two starts ago over this course and distance was totally compromised by a sluggish start, which was the slowest in the field by some margin and then required the fastest finishing speed percentage for him to be come competitive in the straight.
Unfortunately, he paid for those exertions late on - hardly a surprise given his basement rating - and his challenge petered out late on.
The presence of Doyle in replacing an inexperienced rider is another positive and Honrado is worth one more chance under conditions which he's already shown an affinity for.
Back Honrado E/W in the 15:00 Leicester