Hot to Trot: Illustrious days returning for Knight

Ralph Beckett

Simple Verse was the flag-bearer for the Ralph Beckett yard in 2015, providing the trainer with a third British Classic in the St Leger at Doncaster and adding a second Group 1 to her tally on Champions Day at Ascot. She is yet to reproduce that form in three starts this term, but Beckett is unlikely to be too disheartened given the fine start his string has made to the current campaign and - with 45 winners already on the board - he looks on course to improve upon the 80 winners he achieved in each of the last two seasons. The trainer looks set to be well-represented this week as he bids to carry his impressive form of late into July and Great Glen would appear to hold sound claims if attempting to shed his maiden tag at Pontefract on Tuesday. He missed an engagement at Doncaster on Friday, but had some useful form to his name as a three-year-old and was beaten less than three lengths behind Derby-third Storm The Stars in a listed race at Goodwood. The Begum is bred to be a useful performer and - entered in a maiden at Ayr on Sunday - she showed signs of ability when fourth behind Ulysses on her racecourse debut at Newbury. She looks to hold leading claims at the Scottish venue this weekend, while Pacify looks set to be one of the yards more high profile runners in the John Smith's Cup at York on Saturday and - second over the C&D in May - he wouldn't be without his chance if recovering from a rare below par effort at Royal Ascot. 

Peter Bowen 

The Welsh football team has given Pembrokeshire trainer Peter Bowen more than one reason to smile in recent weeks, but the handler is likely to be more satisfied by the terrific form of his string at present and - with a record of six winners and four seconds from his last 14 runners - anything Bowen sends out in the next seven days has to be worth a second look in the betting. Dineur was second behind On The Fringe in the Fox Hunters' Chase at Aintree in April and regained the winning thread in open company at Worcester earlier this month. He did extremely well to win after an early mistake on that occasion, recovering to take a prominent position just behind the leaders and responding well pressure under pressure to edge ahead in the closing stages. He could bid to follow up over the same C&D on Monday and, although a 5 lb rise in the weights makes life tougher, he can't be discounted in his current mood. He is one of five horses Bowen currently has entered on Monday's card, with Forever My Friend and Simply Blessed looking best of the remainder on the back of solid efforts at the same venue. The former will appreciate the shorter trip than when third behind stablemate Kinari last time and has dropped to a mark 1 lb lower than when successful at Market Rasen in September, while Simply Blessed is entitled to improve after shaping well when second on her recent racecourse debut.

William Knight

William Knight enjoyed his best season as a trainer in terms of both quantity and quality in 2010, recording what remains a career-best tally of 34 winners and landing the Sagaro Stakes and Goodwood Cup with the smart stayer Illustrious Blue. That stable star has proved difficult to replace since leaving to continue his career in Australia, but the trainer looks to have a couple of useful prospects in his ranks this year, including the improving four-year-old Clotilde. She graduated from handicaps to finish third in a listed race at Windsor recently and - having run creditably on ground softer than she would have liked that day - could be asked to turn out quickly in the listed Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract on Tuesday. That doesn't appear to be the strongest race of its kind on paper and provides her with another opportunity to pick up some valuable black-type. Dark Avenue was disappointing on her seasonal/handicap debut at Windsor in May, but is reported to have bled on that occasion and deserves another chance to confirm the promise she showed in three outings as a two-year-old. She is engaged at both Lingfield and Yarmouth on Wednesday, while the most interesting of Knight's remaining entries would appear to be Eolian, who finished fifth behind stablemate Jackhammer on his racecourse debut at Bath and can show the benefit of that experience with a big run at Brighton on Tuesday.