Beverley and Haydock previews: War primed for battle

Goodknight Percy went on to finish fourth in class 4 contest at Ripon of 67, and shaped a bit better than the bare result and on his final start last season at Bath when getting hampered and finishing a 4 3/4 length fifth.

The three-year-old is now able to race in this class 6 affair off a mark of just 57, and that makes Goodknight Percy look potentially well-treated on the pick of his form.

Although well beaten on return to action over course and distance last month, Goodknight Percy shaped as if badly needing the outing and the stable is now in much better form.

Beverley selections

14.00: Tough To Bear
14.30: Emerald Bay
15.00: Silver Sands
15.30: Lopito de Vega (NB)
16.00: Lostock Hall
16.30: So It’s War (NAP)
17.00: Sehayli
17.30: GoodKnight Percy (E/W)

Kajaki can kick Haydock rivals into touch

Kajaki has shaped well in both starts this season and looks to hold leading claims of opening his account in the 1m 6f handicap at Haydock today (15.10).

The Kevin Ryan trained gelding had three quick runs in the autumn to get a mark, and shaped nicely on the last of those at Wolverhampton when fourth of 10 to City Of Ideas.

City Of Ideas has since come put and run well to be third off 75, and Scarpeta who finished seventh and nearly 13 lengths behind has gone on to score on two occasions.

That gave the form a decent look and suggested an opening mark of 70 should not be beyond Kajaki, and the three-year-old ran well of it when keeping on to finish third over 1m 2f on return to action at Beverley.

Kajaki backed that up with a solid second over 1m 4f at this venue 13 days ago, sticking to the task well after being headed at the furlong marker to be beaten just over two lengths.

Judged on that effort Kajaki will appreciate the step up in trip, and this looks a nice opening for the son of Mastercraftsman to get off the mark.

King Bolete poised to follow-up

Trainer Roger Varian has his team in good form and King Bolete can make light of a rise in the weights to provide him with another winner in the 1m 4f handicap (16.10).

The gelding had some useful form to his name last season when trained by Luca Cumani, scoring in good style at Newbury before finishing an excellent 2 1/2 length fourth of 17 to Space Age in the ultra-competitive class King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot.

King Bolete was then far from disgraced when fourth to subsequent dual Group 3 winner Dartmouth at Ascot, and took advantage of what looked a lenient handicap mark of 90 for victory in good style at the same venue last month on his first start for Varian.

The four-year-old travelled strongly throughout at the head of affairs and found plenty when pressed inside the last to score a shade cosily by 1 1/4 lengths.

It was a most taking performance which suggested King Bolete needed keeping firmly onside, and a 4lb rise in the weights looks on the lenient side.

This is also a weaker contest, and it will be disappointing if King Bolete doesn’t take it en route to better things.

Haydock selections

14.10: Most Celebrated
14.40: Fair Eva
15.10: Kajaki (NAP)
15.40: Eqleem
16.10: King Bolete (NB)
16.40: Plenary
17.10: George William

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