Hot To Trot: Laud Beckett

Flat Trainer: Ralph Beckett

Ralph Beckett had a very disappointing 2017 in terms of number of winners, but despite losing several of his better horses (Brimham Rocks and Magic Circle), Beckett has enjoyed a much better 2018, as the table below shows.

Amongst his recent winners are a couple of promising three-year-olds, namely Podemos and Akvavera, both of whom produced career-best efforts when coming out on top. They’re ones to look out for over the coming weeks, as are a couple of three-year-olds entered early in the week.

Culdrose is entered at Leicester on Tuesday. She workmanlike filly bounced back to form when 3¾ lengths sixth to Counter Spirit in a handicap at Newcastle last time and, having run well at this venue in the summer, looks a major player. Poyle George Two is also entered there, and he’s bred to be smart (half-brother to Poyle Vinnie), so must be of interest from a BHA mark of 67 on his handicap debut. Pacify has a few years on his younger stablemates, but ran well in defeat last time and should give his all once more, though he will probably need a bit of help from the handicapper before he is winning again.

Jumps Trainer: Sophie Leech

Sophie Leech has saddled three winners from her last 11 runners, a fine feat for one of jumps racings smaller yards and an indication that she’s enjoying one of the best spells of recent years, as the graph below illustrates.

Leech has already surpassed the number of winners from last year, and is well on course to better the 2014/15 season in which she saddled 20 jumps winners.

Wahaab has a couple of entries on the Flat on Tuesday, and is back down to his last winning mark, while Leech has three entered at Ludlow on Wednesday. Flat recruit Admiral Spice has his first start for the yard in the opener, but will need to improve significantly on his modest form in that sphere, and of more interest are Dun Scaith and Throckley in the conditional jockeys’ handicap later on the card. The former isn’t the most robust but is well-handicapped on his old form, and acts on any ground, while Throckley is much less exposed. He’s looked a bit rough around the edges but is gradually getting the hang of things.

Under The Radar: James Tate

James Tate has his horses in good form, especially his juveniles, with that age group responsible for seven of the yard’s last eight winners. As the graph below illustrates, though, Tate is well above average with all age groups, most notably older horses.

Intuitive hinted at ability on debut at Newbury, where he was considerately handled, and it would be no surprise to see him run well in a hot-looking novice at Kempton on Monday with that experience under his belt.

At Leicester on Tuesday, Haddaf has had a busy season and won a minor event at Southwell in March, handicap at Sandown in April and listed race at Sandown in June. He was a respectable sixth to Global Applause in a listed race at Doncaster last time and looks well-treated for this return to handicap company. Bidding War was better than the result when two and three-quarter lengths seventh to Secretinthepark at Newcastle last time, finishing with running left having met trouble several times.