Tony McFadden of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note for Monday’s racing.
Three points of interest
Mulrennan gets a good tune from Yaaser
Yaaser didn’t offer much encouragement on his first couple of starts this season but he slipped in the weights as a consequence and took a big step back in the right direction when third at York on his penultimate start.
He confirmed the impression that he’s back in form when a staying-on fifth in the competitive Carlisle Bell 12 days ago, catching the eye with the late headway he made, and he is an interesting runner off the same mark in a weaker handicap at Ayr (16:40).
Interestingly, five of Yaaser’s six wins have come under Paul Mulrennan who is back in the saddle for the first time since the pair won off just a 1 lb lower mark at Southwell last September.
William Buick was aboard at Carlisle last time and nobody is going to be an upgrade on the champion jockey, but Mulrennan’s record aboard Yaaser is notable all the same and he clearly gets a good tune from the horse.
Can Sustained enhance the Kubler stable’s superb run of form?
This year looks set to be Daniel and Claire Kublers most prolific yet as we’re only just over halfway through the calendar but the team are already up to 18 winners and bearing down on their career-best tally of 26 from 2022.
Remarkably, five of those 13 winners have come from the eight runners they have sent out in July. That equates to an astonishing 63% strike rate this month and underlines that the yard’s runners are in excellent order.
The Kublers will be hoping to enhance their stunning run of success on Monday when they send out two runners, most notably Sustained in the opening novice at Wolverhampton (16:45).
Sustained had to overcome signs of greenness and trouble in running when making a winning debut here 18 days ago, but he was ultimately well on top and looks likely to improve for that experience (as denoted by the Timeform ‘p’).
Interesting that Townend is taking a trip to Roscommon
The summer break for Irish jump jockeys and a focus on quality over quantity in his role as number one jockey for Willie Mullins means that Paul Townend tends to be quiet during the period between the Punchestown and Galway Festivals.
It’s notable, therefore, that he heads to Roscommon on Monday for one ride aboard Caman Eileen in the two-mile maiden hurdle (18:05).
This will be just Townend’s fifth ride at Roscommon since the start of 2020 and the fact he is making the trip suggests that Caman Eileen is held in some regard.
Caman Eileen was disappointing when down the field behind stablemate Aurora Vega when last seen in a listed bumper at Gowran Park in September but prior to that he had looked a very good prospect when quickening clear of her rivals at Tramore. Connections will be hoping she can use Monday’s hurdling debut as the springboard to something rather better.
Timeform Tip of the Day
Makalu – 19:25 Ripon
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top-Rated
Makalu is having a productive campaign and made it three wins from five starts when successful at Beverley last month, doing well to come from so far back after breaking slowly. Makalu was held up in last and still had plenty to do two furlongs out but he picked up strongly after he was angled out and swept through to lead inside the final 50 yards and win by a cosy length. He’s in a higher grade here but he’s clearly thriving and the style of his latest success suggests that he’s still well treated following a 4 lb rise in the weights (he’s 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings).
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