Hope springs eternal in horse racing. Lady Platinum Club may have failed to win in 12 races, but the North Yorkshire filly is napped to make it 13th time lucky at Wolverhampton tomorrow.
Trained at Brawby, near Malton, by Geoff Oldroyd for Pockington owner-breeder Reg Bond, the juvenile has excellent prospects of coming out on top in the Bet SP+ In December At totesport.com Maiden Stakes over six furlongs.
Over the same course and distance last time out, Lady Platinum Club failed by just a head to get the better of Indian Emperor.
The level of that form, combined with a previously creditable if slightly luckless effort at the same venue, puts Lady Platinum Club in with a big shout in this modest-looking event. She can break her duck at her 13th attempt.
Julie Burke, who is apprenticed to Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan, has enjoyed a good time of things since arriving in North Yorkshire from her native Ireland in mid-summer.
The 7lb claimer can raise her profile a few more notches tomorrow by completing a treble on the Wolverhampton card.
Burke rides Inpursuitoffreedom (4.00) for Charlie McBride in the opening apprentices’ race and is fancied to do what eluded Richard Hughes when he rode the horse last time out on the same card.
Sent off the odds-on favourite on that occasion, Inpursuitoffreedom failed by half a length to beat Blue Moon, the mount of Paul Hanagan in a crucial race, which took place in the final week of the turf season when Hughes and Hanagan were fighting it out for the jockeys’ title.
Inpursuitoffreedom is worth another chance. Successful at Yarmouth and Newmarket prior to his latest defeat, he can resume winning ways tomorrow.
Newmarket-based McBride has also secured Burke for the mount on Magic Cross (5.30), who found only Misscomplacent too good – by a length and a half – in a similar race here last week. With Burke’s 7lb claim coming in handy in this handicap, Magic Cross is fancied to go one better.
So Is She (4.30), trained by Alan Bailey, also provides Burke with a winning opportunity.
She has been largely consistent in modest company and, although she has found it difficult to get her head in front, she has good prospects here of finally coming out on top.
Methaaly (5.00) goes well around Wolverhampton, where she is a four-time winner.
She has every chance of making it five tomorrow, following a run of consistent form which, most recently, saw her finish third at Lingfield.
Apprentice Joseph Young has the mount for trainer Michael Mullineaux.
La Capriosa (6.30), a Southwell winner on her latest start three weeks ago, is fancied to oblige again for David Nicholls, while Rhythm Stick (7.00) appears to have as good a chance as any in the concluding mile and a half handicap, the longest race on the seven-race programme.
Racing selections
Wolverhampton (Tomorrow)
4.00 Inpursuitoffreedom, 4.30 So Is She, 5.00 Methaaly, 5.30 Magic Cross, 6.00 Lady Platinum Club (NAP), 6.30 La Capriosa, 7.00 Rhythm Stick.
Tomorrow’s meeting at Wincanton abandoned.
Kempton (Today)
2.00 Devon Diva, 2.30 Skeleton, 3.00 Handsome King, 3.30 Muntasib, 4.00 Iron Condor, 4.30 Dark Lane (NAP), 5.00 Hidden Destiny, 5.30 Nacho Libre.
All other meetings abandoned.
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