TimeformBlog

[b]Traveller's Tales[/b] showed significant improvement when second behind stable-companion Oprettist in a Salisbury maiden last time and, if continuing on an upward curve as expected, can be relied upon to give a good account in the nursery at Yarmouth (14:00). Traveller's Tales has so far shaped as if seven furlongs or even a mile is likely to be her favoured trip and her draw in stall 3 suggests she should be able to gain a favourable position, so, with Ryan Moore booked for the ride, she has an excellent chance of continuing trainer Richard Hannon's recent good run of form. [b]Grandioso[/b] showed some impressive bumper form in just two outings last season and, if able to translate the same of ability level to timber, should go very close on his first start for Betfair Ambassador...

The Park Hill Stakes is the feature on day two of Doncaster's St Leger meeting and Michael Bell's [b]Set to Music[/b] (15:00) has a good chance of landing the Group 2 contest. Owned by the Queen, the three year-old has proven to be an extremely progressive filly this year, landing four races on the bounce including a listed event at York last time when stepped up to a mile and a half. She shapes as though the extra two furlongs she faces today could bring about even more improvement in a race that may play into her hands, with several of her opposition likely to press on and she can prove too strong for Meeznah and Sense of Purpose. Also at Doncaster, [b]Sharaayeen[/b] could notch a fifth winner for trainer Charles Hills in the 16:40, having recently taken over from his father Barry....

It's big fields aplenty at Haydock Park where Lichfield trainer Ed McMahon could be set for a good afternoon. [b]Beauty Pageant[/b] (13.40) can get us off to a flyer in the opening race which is likely to be fast and furious. An impressive winner at Bath last month when she had things sewn up a furlong out, this will be just her eighth start today, and, uncomplicated, she appeals as the type who has more to offer and could blow away her rivals from stall 1. [b]Mrs Greeley[/b] (16.30) belatedly tasted success at the eighth time of asking at Yarmouth last month and it may have done her the world of good to get her head in front. Back off a mark of 70 in a weak handicap she could follow up at Chepstow this afternoon. An earlier second to Cape Classic, since a winner off 75, at Salisbury,...

Former Ballydoyle apprentice jockey Sean Levey will be delighted with how his first season in Britain is going and could be set for a good evening at York starting with [b]Ingleby Exceed[/b] (18.00) in the opener. The filly is one of many to have thrived for the burgeoning David O'Meara this season, scoring eased down at Chester earlier in the month before running a fine race in defeat at Haydock Park last week, a slow start arguably costing her victory. Ingleby Exceed is almost certainly ahead of her mark, and if Levey can get a good tune out of her (she has raced lazily) then she won't be far away. The Burke yard are in flying form and [b]Bold Marc[/b] (19.10) is put forward to follow up last Friday's victory at Haydock at Newmarket. There's no guarantee that the nine-year-old will...

The mile-and-three-quarter handicap at York (15:10) has one of the day's biggest fields, but of the 19 declared to run there are just two three-year-olds, and [b]Defence of Duress[/b] and State Opera are both among the more interesting runners, particularly the former, who has run well in three competitive handicaps this year, all the while suggesting that we haven't quite seen the best of him yet. Most recently, Defence of Duress finished second in a 12-furlong handicap at Ripon and although that effort represented improvement in form terms, he left the impression that neither track nor run of the race played to his strengths, seeming to pay for pressing on a long way out in a truly-run race. The wide expanse of the Knavesmire should be much more to Defence of Duress' liking, while the...

[b]Timeform look ahead to the next week's racing...[/b] [b]Monday January 3[/b] There are jumps fixtures at Ayr, Cork, Hereford and Lingfield on a bumper Monday that also includes all-weather action at both Southwell and Wolverhampton. [b]Tuesday January 4[/b] The card at Leicester is it so far as jumping is concerned on Tuesday, but there are also all-weather fixtures to look forward to at Southwell and Kempton. [b]Wednesday January 5[/b] It's one NH card to two on the all-weather again on Wednesday. The day's jumping takes place at Southwell, while the Flat action is at Kempton and Lingfield. [b]Thursday January 6[/b] Both Huntingdon and Ludlow stage seven-race NH meetings on Thursday, while the action also resumes in Ireland at Thurles. There are also...