Towcester stages a fantastic card today, live on SIS, with the heats of the Bet365 Empress Stakes taking centre-stage with a host of major names kicking off their bid for Category One glory.
Avongate Venus tops the ante-post betting after a string of victories of late, mainly over today's C&D, and certainly looks the one to beat if able to maintain her incredible consistently and undoubted pace and ability.
Starting with heat one of the bitches-only competition over 500m and Icemans Girl (2.33) catches the eye for an in-form Nathan Hunt kennel.
Owned by the darts ace Gerwyn Price - hence the prefix! - she improves for a look round last week and produced some eye-catching strong-running performances at Monmore. This track suits her style better and she gets the vote over Baggios Intent.
Avongate Venus (2.52) cannot be opposed in heat two, although will start at prohibitive odds. Phil Milner's bitch starts well and might always hold sway, with the strong Minnie Bullet fancied to chase her home.
Queen Georgia (3.49), who ran well at Monmore when almost making all in the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic, drops down in distance for this event - but it might not stop her!
Just reeled in by Droopys Clue over 630m last week, Liz McNair's runner has clearly back to her best after her Regency exertions and is back in the form which saw her dominate the Time 3 Steps To Victory at Sheffield earlier this year.
A slower starter next door today in Tromora Rex could see her turn in a pitch, although any mistakes could let in Coolavanny Mercy.
Barry Denby's Leighas Dream (4.07) is top class at best - note one of the fastest runs ever at Newcastle recently - and could run amok in heat four if coming away.
The Nottingham bitch can be hit or miss at the boxes but a snappy exit could see her dominate, although expect better from Droopys Eunice on her comeback trial, and the powerful and back-to-form Havana Lover is always respected.
The now-retired Crafty Shivoo landed last year's Empress Stakes and Mark Wallis will be looking to repeat the dose with a few chances, the best looking to be New Destiny (5.03).
This powerful bitch won the 575m Coral Coronation Cup earlier this year and was a touch unlucky in the 630m Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic so lacks nothing in stamina over this 500m trip with a handy position on the cards as pitched today.
Patrick Janssens' well-drawn Fabulous Terra (5.21) might be tough to hold in the sixth and final heat.
A second behind the progressive and speedy Bang On Edith was no disgrace despite going off favourite in her last start at Monmore and the red-jacket draw looks good for her chances if hitting her straps early doors. Queen Shakira looks the chief danger.
Other Towcester fancies in the supporting races are Mark Wallis's nice-looking youngster Silverhill Adam (2.16) after a gutsy debut win last week, Pat Doocey's well-drawn Longacres Magic (3.11) and Maxine Locke's likely leader Dannys Gem (3.29).
