Hot To Trot: Roger that

Flat Trainer: Roger Varian (click to see full list of entries)

Roger Varian generally sets a high standard when it comes to run to form ratios, but he is enjoying a particular purple patch at the moment, as the graph below shows, with 80% of his string running to form.

He has several interesting potential runners over the coming days, including Star Shield, who holds entries in novice contests at Thirsk and Kempton at the beginning of next week. He showed the benefit of experience when getting off the mark at the second attempt at Redcar last time, looking better the further he went, and would be an interesting prospect in either contest if taking his chance, with more improvement expected. Mountain Angel is entered at Hamilton on Tuesday, and has held his form well in two starts since scoring at Ascot in May. He’s likely to give his running again, though he looks about right in the weights at the moment.

Varian has three entries at Kempton on Wednesday, the most interesting of which is Balaawy. She has improved in each of her three starts to date, with the step up to 1m2f producing a career best effort at Lingfield last time. She’s got plenty of stamina in her pedigree (half-sister to smart 2m winner Blakeney Point) and the extra furlong should suit.

Jumps Trainer: Alan King

Considering the time of year, it won’t be too much of a surprise to learn that Alan King has been having more runners on the level than over Jumps at the moment, but those that are taking their chance are running well.

King has three National Hunt entries over the next few days, including Passing Call at Newton Abbot on Tuesday. She’s on a roll at the moment, completing a double in taking fashion at Bangor at the beginning of the month, and she looks to be on a fair mark heading back into handicap company. Melody of Scotland has an entry in a handicap hurdle at Worcester a day later, and has something to prove, having failed to follow up on a promising debut when down the field at Stratford last month. She offered plenty to work with on her first start for the yard a month earlier, however, and it would be no surprise should she take a step back in the right direction. Skin Deep is also entered on the card, and whilst she was pulled-up on her hurdling debut at Bangor, she can be forgiven for that run, her saddle slipping after the third flight, and is a nice long term prospect on the pick of her bumper form.

Under The Radar: William Muir

Such is the nature of Muir’s good run of form, his Trainer Form graph looks like something from the stock market, having recovered from a poor start to the year in emphatic fashion.

Muir has a handful of entries over the coming days, including Jack’s Point, who has engagements at Windsor on Monday and Hamilton on Tuesday. He bounced back from a poor run when second at Newmarket last time, not given a hard time when passed by a well-supported favourite, and whilst a switch to nurseries will perhaps suits him best, he’s open to more improvement yet. Peace And Plenty is also entered at Windsor on Monday, and proved to be a different story when scoring at Lingfield last time on the back of a wind operation – though a 7 lb rise will demand more. Moonlight Silver has an entry on the same day at Leicester, and she is likely to run well again having made a positive start to her season in two starts so far.