Hot to Trot: Light at the end of the tunnel for Balding

Andrew Balding

Despite saddling a record 104 runners in the month, May was undoubtedly a lean period for Andrew Balding. He recorded just nine winners, at a strike-rate of 9% - well below his average, but coincidentally the same figure as a year ago. However, the Kingsclere handler has already had three winners in June at the time of writing (Elbereth in the Nottinghamshire Oaks, Make Music at Lingfield and Tullius in the Diomed at Epsom) and our Timeform figures show that a much higher percentage of his horses are now running to form. Interesting entries over the coming week include French Legend, a well-bred but lowly-rated daughter of Pour Moi, who is entered at Brighton. Windsor entry This Is For You is also worth forgiving her last run, while White Poppy is the pick of Balding’s Salisbury entries, with the form of her Wolverhampton win over Rebel Cause stacking up nicely.

Tom George

Before Friday, Tom George hadn't been spotted on a racecourse since 24^th May but his last five runners have finished 1-2-2-3-1, including a 16/1 victory for Egypt Mill Rebel in a novice hurdle at Stratford. George has actually recorded 33 winners since the turn of the year – up by 16 at this time twelve months ago – and has every chance of adding to that figure over the coming days. The unexposed Grand Enterprise is set to step up in trip on Sunday, which is more in keeping with his half-brother Dare To Endeavour who was a 3m winner. George has a host of entries at Southwell on Tuesday, including Valseur Du Granval who wasn’t helped by a first-fence blunder last time and is rated better than that defeat, and Fit The Brief, who has been unlucky to bump into some nice mares on her last three starts. Emphatic Bangor winner Dexcite, Friday scorer Moss On The Mill and interesting newcomer Bomber Command also have entries.

James Eustace

James Eustace has always supported Yarmouth well and he has two entries at the track on Wednesday, as racing returns to the course for the first time since September 2015. Eustace will head into the meeting in good form, having saddled three winners from his last nine runners, including Ice Slice. Bigger things await for Ice Slice, who is now rated 91 and possibly Royal Hunt Cup-bound after four wins in a row. It’s statistically likely that Vote will never reach those heights, however her owners will be dreaming ahead of the Aqlaam filly’s debut. She is a half-sister to Bond Trader who was placed on debut and (like many others) Vote has a big sales race entry in October. The 15-race maiden Longside has a different profile, however he has recorded a number of creditable efforts, including a career-best effort on Timeform figures at Doncaster last month. All of Eustace’s Yarmouth winners in the last five seasons have been four or older.