Hot To Trot: Roger that

Flat trainer: Roger Varian

Roger Varian enjoyed a productive week on the Knavesmire, with the success of Nausha in the Musidora Stakes the undoubted highlight. Connections are now entitled to be harbouring classic aspirations for her, and with further improvement on the cards, she could be one for the Prix de Diane given that her stamina would be far from assured if lining up in the Oaks at Epsom.

Nausha takes a thrilling Tattersalls Musidora Stakes @yorkracecourse pic.twitter.com/yKMYqtpGgL

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 15, 2019

In the more immediate future, Varian will be hoping that Nearooz can continue the yard’s winning sequence when making her handicap debut at Nottingham on Tuesday. A tenacious winner of her sole outing at two, she was not hard pushed to maintain her unbeaten record at Wolverhampton last month, and her strength at the line suggests that we are still just scratching the surface of her potential, with an opening mark of 85 unlikely to prove her limit.

Roseman and Ibraz will also be of interest if taking up their engagements at Sandown on Thursday evening. The former steps up to listed company having created a deep impression when opening his account last time, while Ibraz caught the eye when sixth on his most recent outing at Newmarket. He certainly showed enough to suggest that he is on a fair mark at present, and this member of our Horses To Follow in 2019 looks primed to run a big race in the one-mile handicap.

Jumps trainer: Dr Richard Newland

Dr Richard Newland has his team in good form at present, with his three winners from his last 10 runners (at the time of writing) headlined by the success of Le Patriote, who completed a hat-trick in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock last weekend. He is on a steep upward curve at present, and it would be no surprise if Galway came into consideration, when a similar test ought to see him make his presence felt once again.

What an effort - top-weight can't stop Le Patriote (20-1) in a thrilling Pertemps Swinton Hurdle for @samtwiston and Dr Richard Newland at @haydockraces pic.twitter.com/nY4kbkZsnr

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 11, 2019

Newland could attempt to add to his tally with six entries at Warwick on Wednesday, two of which are engaged in the two-mile handicap chase. This would represent a significant drop in grade for Vosne Romanee, who seemed to excel himself when last seen finishing fourth behind Altior in the Celebration Chase at Sandown, while Mcgroarty arrives here in winning form, having proved better than ever to defy a BHA mark of 136 at Kelso last time. He is 4 lb higher here, but that shouldn’t be enough to stop him giving another good account.

Meanwhile, Nikki Steel holds a choice of engagements next week – Southwell on Wednesday or Worcester on Friday – and he will be one to look out for wherever he goes. He shaped like the second best at the weights at Warwick last time, his stamina seeming to run dry late on, and a return to winning ways looks on the cards before too long, with a drop back to two miles sure to suit.

Under the radar: Ed Walker

It would be pushing it to say that Ed Walker is firing in the winners of late, but the horses have generally been acquitting themselves well, with 67% running to form, and it may be only a matter of time before the yard starts converting that into wins on the board.

Another member of our Horses To Follow in 2019, Baryshnikov is certainly one who should be getting his head in front sooner rather than later, having made the frame in each of his three starts at two. On the bare form of those efforts, he’s done well to get into handicaps on a BHA mark of 79, especially with the prospect of more to come as he steps up in trip (bred to stay middle-distances), and the three-year-old handicap at Goodwood on Thursday appeals as an ideal place for him to kickstart his season.

Others to note include Duckett’s Grove and Glorious Charmer, both of whom could appear on Friday. The former showed a good attitude to get off the mark at Chelmsford last time, and he will need to take the step up to listed company at Goodwood in his stride if he is going to justify his lofty entries (entered in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot), while Glorious Charmer is another for the notebook when lining up at Haydock; he was not seen to best effect at Kempton last time and is better judged on the form of his earlier win at Yarmouth, with further progress not ruled out, either.