Take Friar Tuck to regain the winning habit in the `Alfie Westwood' Conditions Stakes at Hamilton Park tomorrow. Linda Perratt's gelding is much improved this season and on his third start put up a personal best to spring a 33-1 surprise in the William Hill Trophy at York in June.
Racing over six furlongs for the first time this term, and appreciating the cut in the ground on the Knavesmire, Friar Tuck was always travelling strongly and forged clear inside the final furlong to beat Marton Moss by one and a half lengths with some good sprinters behind.
A successful campaign looked on the cards for the chestnut, but after York he was laid low with a bacterial infection and did not reappear until the Ayr Gold Cup earlier this month.
Looking as though he would come on for the race, the Cree Lodge runner acquitted himself well after a slow start to finish ninth of 29, beaten around six lengths behind stable companions Always Alight and Daring Destiny.
Daring Destiny re-opposes tomorrow but meets Perratt's charge on 11lb worse terms which hands the advantage to Friar Tuck, who once again gets his favoured underfoot conditions and earns the nap selection to land this prize.
The Ayr trainer will be hoping Manful will initiate a double for the yard in the 49's Bill McHarg Memorial Handicap.
However, this consistent sort may not be able to cope with the progressive Norcroft Joy, who has won four of her last six starts including over course and distance last month, when the Mick Ryan-trained filly revelled in the testing conditions to slam Spartan Royale by seven lengths.
And last time out at Haydock she ran on gamely to beat Creon by half a length off a 13lb higher mark.
Clearly on the upgrade, Norcroft Joy looks a good bet to keep up her winning run in this Showcase race.
Generous Libra stands out as a sound wager on Bath's card in the seven-runner Morris Dancer Conditions Stakes.
Not the easiest of rides, John Dunlop's gelding has been nursed home to win twice over 10 furlongs in small fields at Epsom recently, but was found out in a competitive heat at Newbury last time.
Dropped back to a mile tomorrow Generous Libra will be able to come off a good pace for Kieren Fallon and take care of his six opponents.
Taipan repeated his 1997 win by spearheading a 1-2 for John Dunlop in the £101,351 Group One Post Express Europa Preis (12f) in Cologne yesterday. After initially waiting in fourth place, Taipan (Sylvain Guillot) (17-10) ran on for a comfortable three quarters of a length win over stablemate Garuda.
