Hot To Trot: Dalgleish string can kick on from York success

Flat Trainer: Keith Dalgleish

Keith Dalgleish has his string in fine form at the moment, operating at his highest run-to-form percentage of the last five years. He's had a good season by his usual high standards with an above-average percentage for most of the year as shown in the graph below, and has had a good time of things recently, including with a big handicap success at York with What's The Story. 

Interestingly, Highclere Thoroughbreds have sent him Soloist after her latest success at Newcastle when trained by William Haggas. Her penultimate start saw her try a mile and six furlongs but she appeared to not get home and relish the stamina test as her previous runs had suggested so they quickly dropped her back to a mile and a half. That saw her resume her progress at Newcastle and she saw off an improving type that has run well in defeat again since. She has an entry at Musselburgh over a similar trip and despite that test putting more of an emphasis on speed than Newcastle does, she looks to have a strong chance of following up, with a possible hurdling campaign on the horizon as well. Dalgleish also has another filly in his ranks of interest over the coming week, namely Caustic Love. A progressive type since returning at three, she's chalked up three wins to her name since, the last being a career best when exploring a new trip. She had been kept to six and seven furlongs for most of her career but after keeping on well when second at Doncaster on her penultimate start, connections upped her to a mile at Ripon and saw her see that out strongly to record another victory, having only hit the front 100 yards out. This daughter of Fast Company looks versatile with regards to trip and with her entry over seven furlongs, she has plenty going for her in her attempt to follow up.

Jumps Trainer: David Pipe

Since returning from a midsummer break in the UK, jumps racing has been getting back into the swing of things, with David Pipe returning in the strongest form of many in the country. Of the nine runners he has sent out, only three have finished out of the places and he looks set to continue that spell, as he has done in two of the previous four years.

With jumps racing still on the backburner, he doesn't have many entries to go to war with but a couple of names stand out as horses to keep an eye on. Firstly, Max Do Brazil came over from France back in 2017 and was heavily supported on his debut at Cheltenham, suggesting they expected plenty from him. Something was evidently amiss with him failing to complete there and on three of his next four starts. His mark dropped substantially as a result and has looked towards getting back on track since the turn of the year, even more so since chasing. He won his first two starts over the larger obstacles in June before a change of direction saw him lose that unbeaten record. Perth didn't suit him as he gave away plenty of ground during the race from jumping left, finishing tired with the heavy ground not helping his cause either. His entry at Cartmel sees him go back left handed and he looks to have a good chance of regaining the winning thread. Stream Lady also catches the eye after being caught close home last time, with it looking like she could stay further. She returned from a three-month break to finish second at Southwell in new headgear and a tongue tie when making her chase debut. She jumped soundly bar one or two mistakes as you'd expect on her debut, but matched her hurdle form on her first attempt and if brushing up the mistakes on her second outing, she looks to have a good chance of going close again whilst ahead of the handicapper, if it doesn't come too soon.

Under the Radar: Hugo Palmer

Hugo Palmer has had a quiet year so far compared to the standards of the last three years, but the corner looks like being turned with his string performing with credit recently. He's had only a couple of winners from a handful of runners over the last week but most have run up to form, including an impressive debutant winner on Friday, a shown below, and he can continue to saddle more over the coming weeks.

Powerful Breeze makes an impressive winning debut at @NewmarketRace

This Iffraaj filly from the @hpalmerracing yard could be one to keep an eye on

Results ➡https://t.co/glajGV55GR pic.twitter.com/ko32PqEsje

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 23, 2019

He has a couple of three-year-old fillies with entries next week that look appealing with both possibly making their handicap debut, should they fulfil those engagements. Firstly, Persepone has been a slow burner for connections and hasn't shown much at all in three minor events but she is regally bred and must surely leave her form behind to fulfil the promise her pedigree suggests. She was supported at a big price last time out, suggesting she must be showing enough at home to think she can win a race and with a step up in trip looking in her favour as well, she should leave that behind her if taking on one her low-grade engagements over further next week. Beauty of Deira is also of interest when possibly making her handicap debut this week, with her holding an entry at both Kempton and Carlisle. Having only made her debut in June, she showed up with a good deal of promise amongst greenness at Newbury when finding only one too good. She then backed that up at Chelmsford behind an easy winner when still showing signs of inexperience (ran in snatches) and with that race is working out well, it suggests her mark could be lenient. Her third effort didn't back the previous two up but is much better judged on the first two and now switched into handicaps off a mark of 76, she has plenty going for her if taking up one of those entries.