Beverley preview: Pyla poised to land hat-trick

Pyla has won her last two starts in good style and can make light of a further rise in the weights to land the hat-trick in the 7f handicap on today’s card at Beverley (15.35).

The Ed Dunlop trained filly opened her account at Lingfield back in August when overcoming trouble in-running and staying on strongly from off the pace to beat Knight Of The Air by 1/2 a length.

Pyla got put up 3lb for that success, but had little difficulty following up at Bath when scoring with more in hand than the neck winning margin suggests.

After racing prominently, the three-year-old took up the running shortly after the two marker and only had to be driven out after idling to get the job done.

It was an effort which suggested Pyla only just does enough, and the daughter of Footstepsinthesand is the type that the handicapper finds hard to get to grips.

Taking that into account, a further 3lb rise in the weights looks on the lenient side given Pyla’s progressive profile.

With underfoot conditions ideal, and the prospect of even more to come, Pyla is going to be tough to beat.

In the 1m handicap (16.40), the in-form Sur Empire is weighted to get back on the winning trail.

The Mark Johnston trained filly scored in good style at the beginning of last month when setting a scorching gallop to make all at Carlisle, and has since posted two really solid efforts to finish runner-up.

In the last of those at Hamilton three days ago, Sur Empire looked all over the winner until drifting badly left inside the last two furlongs and getting collared close home to be beaten a head off a mark of 63.

There is little doubt in my mind that the daughter of Equiano would have won had she chartered a straight course, and it’s no surprise to see connections turn Sur Empire out quickly as she is due to race off 6lb higher in future engagements.