Hot To Trot: Court should take some catching

Flat trainer: David Simcock

David Simcock admitted last month that he would have less ammunition to work with this season, especially at the highest level, with stable stalwarts Lightning Spear and Sheikhzayedroad amongst those who were retired at the end of 2018. His search for more horses of that calibre is going to be a work in progress for a while longer yet, but he will at least have been encouraged by the fine form of the yard in recent weeks – as demonstrated by the graph below – and there is seemingly plenty to look forward to in the coming days, too, with plenty of entries for a stable ‘lacking ammunition’.

Simcock could be most heavily represented at Yarmouth on Thursday, with his five potential runners at the time of writing including Imperial Court, a member of our Horses To Follow this season who will be of definite interest on his return from over six months off the track. He remains a maiden after five outings to date, but it was notable that he took his form to a new level when switched to handicaps for his final two starts. Indeed, he went like the best horse at the weights when last seen at Kempton, and with further improvement on the cards – especially now going beyond a mile and a half – a BHA mark of 68 appeals as one he should be able to take advantage of before too long.

Others to note include Universal Order and Vexed. The latter shaped well (amidst greenness) when fourth on his handicap debut at Windsor last month and should remain competitive if lining up from 1 lb lower at Kempton on Wednesday, while Universal Order could make his own handicap bow at Lingfield on Tuesday. A decisive winner of his most recent outing at Bath, he remains with potential after only three starts and appears to have been let in lightly with an opening mark of 86.

Jumps trainer: Olly Murphy

This is typically a quieter time of year for a jumps trainer, but Olly Murphy shows no signs of slowing down, with 13 winners from 55 runners since the beginning of May. The Butcher Said has been the most prolific horse during that time, having made it three wins in the space of four weeks at Fontwell on Wednesday, forging clear in the straight to score by 12 lengths. Life is set to get tougher from now, with more needed in handicaps from a mark that stood at 131 even before last week, but he remains one to be keep onside in his current rich vein of form.

Hat-trick - The Butcher Said wins easily under @adrianheskin at @FontwellPark and looks a horse of real quality and potential for @O_J_murphy91 and the @McNeill_Family! pic.twitter.com/qyt1De2JGi

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 5, 2019

Those with entries nearer to hand who could be worth adding to the MyTimeform tracker include Compatriot and Swaffham Bulbeck. The former was not seen to best effect when third at Market Rasen last time, needing the emphasis more on stamina and doing well under the circumstances to be beaten only three and a half lengths. He can race from the same mark if lining up at Stratford on Monday and is not one write off just yet, still only 4 lb higher than when recording his last win.

Swaffham Bulbeck, on the other hand, is one of three entries for his trainer in the novices’ hurdle at Uttoxeter on Thursday, along with Oskemen (also entered at Stratford on Monday) and Valentino Dancer. Admittedly, he is fairly well exposed by this stage after seven runs over hurdles, but it was hard to fault his latest second at Market Rasen, when pulling well clear of the third, and that form compares favourably with anything that his potential rivals here have achieved, so he has to be worth a second look in the market.

Under the radar: Ian Williams

Ian Williams will attempt to join an exclusive club when Magic Circle lines up in the Ascot Gold Cup later this month, with few modern-day trainers having been fortunate enough to saddle winners at both the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot. The first box has already been ticked, courtesy of Ballyalton in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase in 2016, and it would be folly to discount Magic Circle, too, as he attempts to win one of the highlights of the Flat calendar – last year’s Chester Cup winner is a short as 12/1 with some bookmakers and has less to prove over the extreme trip than some of those who are ahead of him in the betting.

Williams certainly heads into Royal Ascot with his string in top form (see the graph above), and it would be no surprise to see him add to his tally in the coming days, with new recruit Gold Mount immediately catching the eye at Leicester on Monday. Verging on very smart when trained by Tony Cruz in Hong Kong, this represents a much weaker race than those he is used to contesting – he was last seen finishing fourth behind another Gold Cup contender Cross Counter at Meydan – and the six-year-old would appear to have a class advantage over most of his rivals if bringing his A-game.

Finally, Mandarin and Swordbill are also worth considering if taking up their respective engagements at Haydock and Yarmouth on Thursday. The former turned in his best effort of the season when second at Doncaster last time, and, still lightly-raced for a five-year-old, he looks sure to remain competitive, while similar comments also apply to Swordbill. He recorded a first turf win on Town Moor last time and remains potentially well treated judged on the pick of his all-weather form, with every chance that he will prove at least as good in this sphere.