Hot To Trot: Sir Mark the one to follow

Flat trainer: Sir Mark Prescott

Sir Mark Prescott is having one of his most successful seasons in recent years, operating at a 25% strike rate, and recording a level stakes profit of £5.24 (at the time of writing). Prescott is notoriously known for his patient approach with stoutly-bred types, something which the graph below backs up.

Dutch Monarch is of a different ilk, but produced a career best when opening her account at Wolverhampton last month, and will be of interest if taking her chance back there on Monday. She remains well treated from a 6 lb higher mark and is also entered at Kempton (Wednesday) later in the week. Praeceps was another who looked better than ever when winning at Chepstow recently and will be of interest under a penalty at Nottingham on Tuesday, the step back up in trip no problem. However, Prescott’s best chance in the next few days could be Matchmaking, who has won all four of his starts this season, and remains open to improvement. He could stretch that sequence to five at Ffos Las on Tuesday.

Jumps trainer: Donald McCain

As the graph below demonstrates, Donald McCain has his string much further forward than is usually the case at this time of year, and he has some interesting runners in the next few days.

McCain has a couple of entries on the Flat at Ripon on Monday, the pick of them being The Cliff Horse, who shaped with some promise in three starts last season, and will be interesting up significantly in trip for handicap debut. At Newton Abbot on Wednesday, Good Tradition would have a chance if returning to his best form. He won a handicap by 27 lengths at Stratford last month, but couldn’t repeat that effort from a higher mark at Worcester since. Worcester themselves stage a seven-race card on Wednesday, and McCain has two entries in the shape of Ofcourseiwill and Stay In Touch. The former is perhaps the main hope on chase debut having shown fair form over hurdles; he is also an Irish point winner.

Under the radar: John Quinn

John Quinn is enjoying a fine season, winning the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and Prix Robert Papin at Maisons-Laffitte courtesy of his smart two-year-old Signora Cabello, and his horses in general are going along nicely at present.

Quinn has an array of entries on Monday, but his best chance could lay with Speed Company at Ayr. He shaped as though he’d come on for the run on his return from a short break last month and, having slipped in the weights,  he is entitled to be competitive. At Nottingham on Tuesday Soie d’Leau would have a chance if returning to form in the five-furlong minor event. He made a winning debut for this yard in May and, though he has disappointed twice since, the yard are in much better form now and a bold show wouldn’t surprise, especially if the ground came up soft. Balance of Power could bid to follow up his Newcastle win at Beverley on Wednesday, having shown much improved form from his debut. He still looked rough around the edges that day, and should have even more to offer.