Hot To Trot: Hobbs run set to continue

Flat trainer: Andrew Balding

At the time of writing, five of Andrew Balding’s last eight runners have produced clear career-best efforts, including recent winners Berkshire Boy, Look My Way and Lorelina. The last-named was ridden by William Cox, an apprentice who was one of three young riders involved in a three-horse pile-up at Wolverhampton in February. The incident clearly hasn’t put Cox off, however, as he has returned in good form, and has now ridden 11 winners in 2017. He has ridden St Mary’s on five of her last six starts, including for a couple of wins at Chester. She has several entries in the week and, having shaped as if still in top form when second on the Roodee last week, should go well. Other notable entries in the coming days include Meccabah, who was well-backed at Windsor last month, and Bacacarat, a Raven’s Pass colt owned by the Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha; fittingly, the horse is set to make his debut at Leicester on Monday.

Under the Radar: Julia Feilden

To date, it’s not been a stellar season for Julia Feilden, with only nine winners on the board in 2017 compared to 21 last year. Things may be starting to pick up, though, with a higher percentage of horses running to form now than at any other point in the season. Recent winners Our Cilla and Oceanus both suggested that there could be further success on the horizon, and Milly Naseb, who rode Our Cilla to victory at Lingfield earlier this month, is booked to ride Tallulah’s Quest (who shaped better than the bare result last time) for the first time on Tuesday. Best Example doesn’t have an attractive profile, winless in 11 starts since leaving Saeed bin Suroor, but a combination of his sliding mark and the way he travelled smoothly last time suggests that his turn might not be far round the corner. Mungo Madness is entered in the same race, and, having shown improved form when stepped up in trip last time, could improve further over this even longer distance.

Jumps trainer: Philip Hobbs

Recent wins for Wait For Me and Robbin’Hannon, making it five wins for the yard in September, have been obvious examples of the rude health of Philp Hobbs’ string, however even those meeting with defeat have run to form (St Saviour and No Likey the only two exceptions in the month) and the image below suggests that the trend will continue for a while yet.

Earth Lady is set to make her seasonal reappearance in a mares’ handicap hurdle at Warwick on Tuesday and she should fare better than when last seen now back over a more suitable trip; she remains capable of better when finally putting it all together. Danandy showed the benefit of a recent run when third at Fontwell last month and, although not the most fluent jumper of fences, he looks fairly handicapped still (only 4-lb higher than last win). Later in the week, amongst the raft of Irish entries, Scoop The Pot is in at Perth. Lightly-raced for a seven-year-old, he showed improved form when winning at Worcester on his reappearance last month and looks the type to find even more progress if he can stand up to more racing.