Salisbury Preview: Seagull can soar to success

There is some competitive action at Salisbury today, and Seagull could well have got in lightly on her handicap debut in the 1m 1f contest (3.55).

Trained by John Gosden, this filly was well-held on debut at Nottingham after being slowly away and running green, but showed the benefit of that experience when running out an impressive winner in a Newmarket maiden last month.

A daughter of Sea The Stars, Seagull raced close up at headquarters, before leading approaching the final furlong and quickening clear to score easily by three lengths from Swan Lakes.

The runner-up had previously chased home a useful sort at Kempton in the shape of Sequined, and that one has since gone on to land a handicap off a mark of 78.

It gives the form a solid look, and suggests that Seagull may have been underestimated by the asessor in being allotted an opening handicap mark of 82.

In the 7f handicap (4.55), Cueca looks worth siding with after an eye-catching run last time out.
This Jonathan Portman trained filly hinted at ability in three runs last season, most notably when fifth of 11 to Cape Wrath in a Newbury maiden.

The winner was given an opening handicap mark of 84 and the sixth and seventh home, Zugzwang and Coiste Bodhar have both gone on to score off 69 and 61 respectively. That is decent form, and makes Cueca look potentially well-in off a mark of 56.

This daughter of Country Reel certainly shaped as if it was exploitable on handicap debut at Lingfield when finishing a never nearer fourth of 12 to Syrian Pearl, and looks the type who could well progress further.

Henry Candy saddled a welcome double at Windsor last night, and his Dream Catcher is weighted to go well at a price in the apprentice handicap that closes proceedings. The gelding is on a long losing run having not scored since back-to-back contests in 2012.

Dream Catcher’s last success came off a rating of 65, and the six-year-old has run some solid races since to be placed off marks as high as 75.

He gets into today’s contest off 68, and that should enable the son of Della Francesca to be very competitive now that the Candy stable, which had been under a cloud, appears to have turned the corner.