Hot To Trot: Bell running rings around rivals

Flat: Michael Bell

At the time of writing, six of Michael Bell’s last 23 runners have produced career-best efforts, and the Newmarket handler has his horses in consistently good form at present. Bell excels with staying types, and he has several horses entered over the next few days in races over a mile and a half and further.

Recent Beverley winner Maori Bob returns to the same C&D on Sunday – he’s 6 lb higher in the weights but was better than ever last time and remains one to be interested in. Three Duchesses contests a fillies’ handicap over the same trip at Goodwood on the same afternoon, and whilst she has quickly shot up the weights this summer, she looks likely to appreciate the return to a mile and a half. Over a shorter trip, First Drive looks capable of better in a six-furlong nursery at Yarmouth. She was below form on softer ground than previously, when making her nursery debut at Newmarket last time, but should fare better now back on a quicker surface.

Under the Radar: Ed Vaughan

Ed Vaughan has had 12 winners from 56 runners this season, and, as the visualisation below shows, he has enjoyed a much better July/August than has often been the case.

Vaughan is yet to breach 20 winners in a season, but he’s operating at his best strike-rate since his debut season as a trainer in 2004. Astute Boy produced a career-best when winning at Yarmouth last Tuesday, while the cheap purchase Hikmaa made a good impression when winning on her debut at Newcastle earlier this month. Fellow two-year-old Rosedale Topping hinted at ability by the end of her debut at Lingfield, and she is entitled to progress at either Chepstow on Monday or back at Lingfield later in the week, whilst Mirimar was much improved when winning a 10-runner handicap at Lingfield last time, suited by the increase in trip. He shapes as if he will stay beyond one and a quarter miles and is open to further progress.

Jumps: Olly Murphy

There aren’t too many trainers who saddle a winner with their first runner, however Olly Murphy – former assistant to Gordon Elliott – achieved such a feat, and went on to win with 10 of his first 18 runners, including a tremendous cross-the-card four timer in July. There have been several victories since and the vast majority of his horses are running to form – indeed, 10 of his runners have produced career-bests. Looking ahead, Gold Class, Mizen Master and Saucysioux have entries at Cartmel on Bank Holiday Monday. Gold Class improved when winning a lady amateur event at Market Rasen last time readily by six lengths from Banff, having failed to win in 20 previous hurdling starts for Robbie Hennessy, while Mizen Master has won two out of three for his new yard and he looks like he can progress further. Saucysioux ran as if in need of the run at Market Rasen last time, and stepping back up in trip looks in her favour.