Mecca’s Angel looks heaven sent in Scarbrough Stakes

Mecca’s Angel has developed into a really useful sprinter and can notch a first Listed success in the Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster today (3.00).
The Michael Dods trained filly had some solid form as a juvenile, most notably when beaten 1 1/2 length into second behind Hot Streak in Listed contest at York, and looked on to keep firmly onside when winning her first two starts this season.

The daughter of of Dark Angel slammed Blithe Spirit by 4 1/2 lengths in a handicap at Thirsk on seasonal reappearance and then showed blistering speed when putting in a devastating performance to beat Eccleston by eight lengths in a conditions contest at Hamilton.

Mecca’s Angel was then far from disgared last time out in the Listed contest in France when beaten two lengths lengths into fifth behind Rangali ,where the very testing conditions and 6f trip were against her.

The winner has gone on to be beaten just two lengths when finishing seventh to Sole Power in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, and finished just a neck behind G Force in that contest who has since won the Group 1 Betfred Sprint at Haydock.

That gives the form a really solid look and suggests that Mecca’s Angel should be up to winning a race of this nature.

The return to 5f and quicker ground will certainly suit, and having been given a break to freshen-up Mecca’s Angel looks decent value to land the spoils in a market dominated by Reckless Abandon.
That rival won two Group 1 contests as a juvenile when trained by Clive Cox, and ran very well in three starts last season in top class company.

Those runs included a fine fifth of 19 to Sole Power in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, and Reckless Abandon is undoubtedly a class act.

However, the son of Exchange Rate was off the track for 395 days before finishing a fine third behind Tropics in a Listed contest at Newmarket last month has clearly not been the easiest to train.

That was Reckless Abandon’s first run since being bought by Godolphin and joining trainer Charlie Appleby, and the big worry is to whether this will come too quickly.

It’s been only 18 days since that run, and given the injury problems that Reckless Abandon has had during his career the four-year-old could well “bounce” turned out so quickly after those exertions.