John Quinn’s Breege can book her Royal Ascot ticket by maintaining her unbeaten record in the EBF Stallions VW Van Centre (West Yorkshire) Ltd Youngsters Conditions Stakes at Pontefract.
Officials at the West Yorkshire track will likely be disappointed that only four go to post for the £25,000 contest from a big initial entry, but three of them are previous winners and the other is a 50,000 guineas purchase by Free Eagle.
So the race will take plenty of winning, but Breege looked a good deal above average when making a winning debut at Wetherby.
Her pedigree is all about speed. She is a daughter of Australian speedster Starspangledbanner and her dam is a half-sister to Quinn's Royal Ascot winner The Wow Signal.
Taking on David Loughnane's Commander Straker, second at Newbury on debut, Breege looked in a different league, winning by more than five lengths. To add credence to the form, Commander Straker went and easily won next time out.
It is certainly no walkover as Karl Burke's Miss Jungle Cat won well at Musselburgh first time out and Richard Fahey's Rousing Encore progressed markedly from his debut to win at Beverley but Breege just could have a bit of star quality about her.
Thunder Cat generated a bit of talk before his debut at York recently as he was the first of Roaring Lion's progeny to hit the track.
He was absolutely taken off his feet in the early stages, which perhaps was not surprising over six furlongs, a problem compounded by a slow start.
At one point it looked like he may be tailed off but as the race progressed he got the hang of things and finished strongly into fifth of the 12 runners, behind a Royal Ascot-bound winner in Queen Olly.
Andrew Balding has not taken things easy with him as the Sockshop EBF Novice Stakes at Haydock looks to have attracted some nice youngsters, but his experience can stand him in good stead.
Mark and Charlie Johnston's Queen Of Deauville really caught the eye when winning on her debut at Carlisle and she returns to the Cumbrian venue for the Whinnow EBF Novice Stakes.
The Showcasing filly powered clear in the closing stages to win by almost three lengths and while her superiority may have been exaggerated by cut in the ground – the going was changed to soft after the race despite being described as good – she looks sure to improve with racing, like so many from this yard.
Kevin Philippart de Foy is really making a name for himself this season and he should be on the board at Brighton with Covert Mission in the Follow @attheraces On Twitter Handicap.
Not out of the first two this year, he won at Kempton in January off a mark of 60 and won last time out off 69. He is up to 72 now but is clearly in the form of his life.
It is always worth noting when Owen Burrows has a first-time-out winner as he tends not to have them fully tuned up for their debuts.
With that in mind, Tarrabb was very impressive winning first time out at Chelmsford when not hard pressed.
The filly was unraced at two, so she may have been worked harder at home than Burrows does with his juveniles, but she can still defy a penalty in the Join Our Bet Club At Vickers.Bet Novice Stakes at Chepstow.
David Maxwell's Bob And Co was a beaten favourite in the Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase 12 months ago but can make amends this year.
Last season he had been to Punchestown and was maybe feeling the effects of that, but Bob And Co has not run since falling at Cheltenham in March so should be fresher.
SELECTIONS:
BRIGHTON: 1.00 Lumacho, 1.35 Jackmeister Rudi, 2.10 The Lamplighter, 2.45 Jeremiah Johnson, 3.20 Junoesque, 3.55 Covert Mission, 4.25 Cool Vixen.
CARLISLE: 1.10 Raffles Rebel, 1.45 Queen Of Deauville, 2.20 Colombe, 2.55 Elegant Erin, 3.30 Liv Lucky, 4.00 Zinc White, 4.30 Dulla Bhatti.
CHEPSTOW: 1.20 Life's A Beach, 1.55 Tarrabb, 2.30 Hope Probe, 3.05 Airshow, 3.40 Dickens, 4.15 Ajero, 4.50 Balhambar, 5.25 Amalfi Bay.
FAIRYHOUSE: 5.20 Recurrent Dream, 5.50 Alma Libre, 6.20 Broadhurst, 6.50 HMS Endeavour, 7.20 Pandemic Princess, 7.50 Ever Rock, 8.20 Giulia Frasi.
HAYDOCK: 6.25 Study The Stars, 6.55 Hello Jumeirah, 7.25 Thunder Cat, 7.55 Noya, 8.25 Hail Sezer, 8.55 Mambo Beat.
LIMERICK: 5.10 Go Battle, 5.40 Gin On Lime, 6.10 Ask Charlie, 6.40 Golden Ferret, 7.10 Our Ted, 7.40 Bitview Colin, 8.10 Mister Bells.
STRATFORD: 5.35 Azzuri, 6.05 Caid Du Berlais, 6.35 Ask D'man, 7.05 Bob And Co, 7.35 Cat Tiger, 8.05 Spanish Jump, 8.40 Patanita.
PONTEFRACT: 6.30 Frog And Toad, 7.00 Mas Poder, 7.30 BREEGE (NAP), 8.00 Spantik, 8.30 Cognocenti, 9.00 Ventura Express.
DOUBLE: Breege and Tarrabb.
