Salisbury Preview: Kleo has the gears to land hat-trick

Kleo is on a serious upward curve and can take the step up into Listed company in her stride to land the hat-trick in the 1m 2f feature contest at Salisbury today (3.55).

Trained by the in-form Luca Cumani, the filly opened her account at the fourth time of asking when romping home in a maiden on the all-weather at Lingfield and looked a potentially top notch prospect when following-up on handicap debut at York.

The daughter of Kavafi travelled ominously well in the latter, and after cruising to the front a furlong home quickened clear under a hands and heels ride to slam Cosmic Halo by 3 3/4 lengths.

Although the form may not amount to much, it was the manner of Kleo’s victory that impressed and it’s speaks volumes that connections are pitching the three-year-old into Listed company rather than mopping up more handicaps.

Elsewhere on the card, jockey Ryan Moore looks to hold leading claims of landing a treble via Darshini, Tercel and Petticoat Lane.

Darshini is trained by Sir Michael Stoute and looks on a handy mark in the 1m nursery (2.50).

The colt shaped with plenty of promise when runner-up on debut, and duly went one better when making all to beat Farham by a cosy length in a 7f maiden at Sandown last month.

The son of Sir Percy looks the type who has plenty more to offer, and is clearly well thought of as he holds an entry in the Royal Lodge.

If Darshini is to get anywhere near that standard, then he has to be winning this off an opening handicap mark of 79.

Tercel is also trained by Stoute and looks to have got in lightly on handicap debut in the 1m contest (3.25).

The son of Mosun finished ninth on debut in the Wood Ditton and showed the benefit of that experience when staying on strongly to win a decent looking mile maiden at Sandown by a neck.

The three-year-old looks a late developing sort that the yard excel with, and off an opening mark of just 77 can provide Stoute with his fourth win in the race since 2009.