Hot To Trot: Cubs to win at Wolves

Roger Charlton

No trainer is coming out higher on our form figures than Roger Charlton at present. He had a strong Royal Ascot, saddling King George V winner Atty Persse as well as Prince of Wales’s second Decorated Knight and Wokingham third Projection from just seven overall runners, and his runners have been performing very well elsewhere, too, winners at Chelmsford, Lingfield, Salisbury, and Newmarket in recent days. The yard have a number of entries early next week, and Cubswin is one of the more interesting types on paper. He is entered in a three-year-old handicap over a mile and a half at Wolverhampton on Monday and remains open to improvement after an encouraging handicap debut at Newmarket last time, where he wasn’t seen to best effect in third place (did best of those held up off the pace). Kazawi – a full-brother to the yard’s Group 1 winning Al Kazeem – is currently also entered in the same race and may make his handicap debut after a good second at Chepstow in early-June.

Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston was also amongst the winners at Royal Ascot last week with Oriental Fox in the Queen Alexandra and Permian in the King Edward VII, and with winners at Newcastle (Kit Marlowe) and Newmarket (Poet’s Society) since, his runners are well worth a look in the coming days. Kalagia failed to justify strong support on her debut at Ripon in June, but is bred to be sharp and useful (full-sister to Norfolk winner Prince of Lir), and is well worth another chance (green under pressure) if she runs in a novice at Hamilton on Monday. Bonnie Arlene is also entered on the same Hamilton card, and she could well bounce back from her below-par run at Lingfield last time, where she wasn’t seen to best effect under a change of tactics (usually front runs).

Mike Smith

Mike Smith doesn’t have a big string, but is doing extremely well with the runners he is sending out at present, with two winners and five seconds from his 14 entrants in June both over jumps and on the Flat. Haymarket – who scored at Ayr on the 23^rd of June – is entered at Hamilton on Monday and though he ended a long losing run that day, he is not one to write off from just 4 lb higher in the weights if running on Monday. Perhaps more interesting, however, is Archibelle, who is entered in a handicap at Hamilton on Tuesday. Archibelle ran his best race in a competitive three-year-old handicap at Doncaster in April, finishing second, five lengths clear of the third horse. He was unable to build on that back in maiden company at Ayr 10 days after, but is well worth keeping an eye on now back in a handicap and up in trip.