Yarmouth: Phantom can put his rivals to the Sword

Frontline Phantom is able to run unpenalised for his recent success in the 1m 1f handicap at Yarmouth today (3.00) and looks the one the all have to beat in the hands of promising young rider Peter Sword.

The Karl Burke trained gelding has posted a string of solid efforts this season, scoring at Nottingham in June and getting back to winning ways when landing a 1m 2f apprentice handicap at Doncaster three days ago.

The seven-year-old stayed on strongly in the latter to comfortably beat Lexington Bay by 2 1/2 lengths, and the form looks strong in the context of this contest.

The fact that it was an apprentice race means that Frontline Phantom escapes a penalty in this and is able to race off the same mark of 64, and it’s therefore no surprise to see connections turn the son of Noverre quickly before the assessor has his say.

Frontline Phantom is likely to go up at least 5lb for that success, and this looks a gilt-edged opportunity for him go in again.

Sleepy Blue Ocean ran a stormer when runner-up last time out and can take advantage of his lenient mark to go one better in the 5f handicap (4.00).

The John Balding trained gelding went down by just 3/4 of a length to Flash City at Nottingham, and the form of the race looks rock solid with the third home Poyle Vinnie having come out and won twice since.
Although Sleepy Blue Ocean has been put up 2lb for that effort to a mark of 75, the eight-year-old is still 3lb lower than when scoring on the fibresand at Southwell back in January and also just 2lb higher than when registering his last win on the turf in a class 4 contest at Haydock.

That makes Sleepy Blue Ocean look well-treated in this class 5 contest, and a repeat of his last run should be good enough to see the veteran land the spoils.

In the 1m apprentice handicap that closes proceedings (5.00), Buzz Law is too well-treated to ignore now fitted with blinkers for the first time.

The six-year-old has not been at his best this season, but now runs off a career-low mark of 53 as a result and is a massive 16lb lower than when last successful.

That win came way back in April 2011, but Buzz Law has shown enough to suggest he retains enough ability to win a race of this nature and if the headgear has the desired effect the son of Fasileyev is potentially thrown-in at the weights.