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Last year Scarlet Dragon was Eve Johnson Houghton’s flag bearer, winning four times, and On To Victory, also owned by Henry Ponsonby, has shown a similarly progressive profile this season. Scarlet Dragon looks set to take his chance in the Ebor at York next week, while On To Victory could also make the step up to pattern company in the Great Voltigeur. He has performed well in handicaps of late, and though such a step up in class is perhaps a bit ambitious at this stage, connections are fully entitled to consider it. Ice Age, who proved better than ever when winning a six-furlong handicap at Windsor last time, holds an entry for a similar handicap over the same C&D on Monday. Everything finally came together for him that day and he won well despite hanging left in the closing stages, and a 5 lb rise looks fair. Houghton has other entries in the same race, including Goring, but Ice Age looks the pick. On Tuesday, Super Florence will have a leading chance if lining up in the opening race at Kempton, following her eye-catching finish there last time. She is able to race off the same mark on Tuesday and should be able to open her account.
Mark Johnston tends to up the ante around this time of year and his yard is very much in full swing at present. Nyaleti, who was a most impressive winner of the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot last time, has been declared for the Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday. It looks a fairly strong renewal, but Nyaleti’s form gives her a leading chance. Also on Sunday, Bear Valley will be bidding to get his career back on track at Pontefract following his return to form at Ascot last time, and Silvestre De Sousa, who has won on him before, gets the leg up for the first time this season. Morning Suit and Morning Chimes also feature later on Pontefract’s card, the former will need a career best to figure, but Morning Chimes looks an interesting newcomer on paper and will be one to note in the market. As usual, Johnston is well represented up and down the country on Monday, but one of his better chances could be Lake Volta in the first race at Thirsk. He showed much improved form to win a similar event at Brighton last time, far from fully extended to win by over four lengths, and with further improvement forthcoming, he could be up to defying a penalty.
The young French-born trainer has come out of the doldrums recently, recording six wins in the last month, which isn’t bad going for a yard with only around 20 horses in training. Vintager – who looks potentially smart – caused a bit of a shock when making a winning debut for the yard at Newmarket this month, and he is reportedly heading for the Solario Stakes at Sandown in early-September. More imminently, though, Menuisier will be hoping to get a win out of The Bear Can Fly who is entered at Brighton on Monday. She improved for her debut when finishing runner-up in a maiden at Lingfield last month, and remains open to further progress, so is one to watch out for in what doesn’t look a strong race of its type. Corpus Chorister deservedly opened her account for the season at Beverley last month and she has entries at both Kempton and York on Wednesday. She has been raised 3 lb for that win, which isn’t insurmountable, so will be worth consideration depending which option she takes. Also at York, Sinfonietta has an entry in the mile handicap on Thursday, but she needs to bounce back from a poor run at Goodwood last time.
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