Hot To Trot: Follow the Doctor

Flat Trainer: Ian Williams (Click to view the trainer’s full entries)

The Ian Williams yard tends to come good at this time of year, but they have been particularly productive of late, and are enjoying their best run for the past five years, as the below graph shows.

Williams has several interesting entries over the coming days, including Tomahawk Kid, who has an engagement at Windsor on Monday. Despite running poorly at Nottingham last time, Tomahawk Kid has been hinting at a return to form, shaping better than the distance suggested when fifth at Sandown two starts ago. He remains one to be interested in now just 4 lb higher than his last winning mark, particularly on softer ground. Recent Nottingham scorer Pure Shores holds three entries next week, including at Windsor on Monday, and she would be of interest wherever she takes her chance, having looked value for more than the winning margin suggested last time out.

Whilst Shady McCoy hasn't won for 12 months, he has been holding his form well, and he showed he was versatile as regards ground when finishing third in a competitive handicap at Ascot last month. He's slipped to an appealing mark, and whilst he will admittedly need everything to fall right if he is to get his head in front, he looks to have leading claims if taking his chance at Leicester on Tuesday with Ryan Moore booked. Later in the week, Tarte Tropezienne has an entry at Nottingham on Wednesday. She ran respectably without being seen to best effect at Newmarket last time, needing more of an emphasis on stamina that day, and she will be suited by the extra two furlongs, particularly as the ground becomes softer this autumn.

Jumps Trainer: Dr Richard Newland

Whilst the National Hunt season is still in its infancy, Dr Richard Newland has hit top gear, as the graph below shows, and his runners are performing well on the track.

Newland has a small but select amount of entries next week, including Abolitionist, who switches to the yard from Ireland and has an engagement at Hereford on Tuesday. We haven’t seen him since he finished down the field over hurdles at Killarney in August 2017, but he looked well treated on his hurdling mark at the time (he’s a smart chaser) and he would have leading claims if ready to go after a lengthy reappearance off just 3lb higher, particularly considering that runners tend to improve for the switch to this yard.

Le Patriote, like Abolitionist, has switched to the yard this year, and he has caught the eye since finishing seventh on his debut for the yard in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton in January, scoring as Ascot in February. He was amiss in the Imperial Cup at Sandown in March when last seen, but there’s every reason to anticipate further progress from him this term, and he would be interesting if running at Carlisle on Wednesday. Catamaran Du Seuil scored at Wetherby when last seen in January and would also be interesting if running at the same course.

Aaron Lad was too bad to be true when last seen in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May, but he was on a good run prior to that, and has entries at both Wetherby on Tuesday and Uttoxeter on Wednesday. Also due to run at Uttoxeter is Dashing Perk, who has failed to repeat the form he showed when winning a novice hurdle in good style at Wincanton in January in three starts since. He’s in good hands, though, and is worth keeping an eye on over the coming weeks.

Under The Radar: Simon Crisford

Simon Crisford is still relatively new to the training game, having left his position as Sheikh Mohammed’s racing manager to take up training in 2014, and he is enjoying the best spell of his short career so far, as the below graph shows. 

Crisford has several entries on Monday, including Nobleman's Nest at Musselburgh. He produced a career best on the back of a wind operation to win at Yarmouth last month, coming through the field stylishly. He looked potentially better than a handicapper at stages during his two-year-old career, and it would be no surprise should that win prove to be the start of something. Another due to run on Monday is Double Kodiac, who holds entries at Kempton, Yarmouth and Windsor. He has failed to follow up the promise he showed when winning at maiden at Maisons-Laffitte in July, finishing third at Sandown most recently, but the drop back to 6 furlongs will suit and he is worth another chance now heavily eased in grade. Affina also has two entries on Monday, with engagements in two races at Windsor. She's been running respectably of late, and it would be no surprise should she strike off her current mark. 

Later in the week, Wise Ruler has an entry at Bath on Wednesday. The two-year-old has shown just fair form in two starts so far, but his most recent effort, when third at Salisbury 10 days ago, should aid his development, when just failing to get up for second. He's a scopey sort who should do better a arhe-year-old, but he is open to improvement and looks capable of picking up a novice contest before the end of the year.