York preview (14.10): Mahsoob poised to land hat-trick

Mahsoob looks a pattern performer in the making and can shrug aside a rise in the weights to land the 1m 2f handicap that opens proceedings on today’s seven-race card at York (14.10).

Trained by John Gosden, the colt ran out the comfortable winner of a mile maiden at Kempton back in November when sent off the heavily-backed 11/8 fav, coming from off the pace before staying on strongly to beat Razor Wind with more in hand than the one length winning margin suggests.

The runner-up has won three times since and is now rated 99, and the fourth home John Reel – who was beaten 6 3/4 lengths – has also gone on to register three successes and is now rated 100.

That is extremely strong form and Mahsoob duly took advantage of what looked a very lenient opening handicap mark of 89 to follow-up in terrific style at Newbury last month.

The son of Dansili was forced to drop in from a wide draw and race in the last trio in the early stages of the contest before making stealthy headway on the outside two from home under a confident Paul Hanagan.

Mahsoob then quickened smartly to take up the running inside the final furlong, and stayed on strongly to score by a neck despite hanging and still showing signs of inexperience.

It was a very taking performance which showed the four-year-old had a huge engine and was potentially far better than a handicapper.

If that is to prove the case an 8lb rise is unlikely to stop Mahsoob going in again, and I expect him to complete the hat-trick before going on to much better things.

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor won the race three times in a row between 2007 and 2009, and his First Flight may well prove the main danger.

The gelding showed progressive for throughout last season, landing a handicap at Newmarket over today’s trip in good style before posting solid efforts to make the frame in his final two starts.