Apiarist looks a live player in the Mile category after securing his third success of the season in the class two feature at Southwell last week.
Kevin Ryan’s four-year-old started his winter campaign with victory at Newcastle in early December and landed a valuable prize at Chelmsford in January.
Dropping back to seven furlongs at Southwell, Apiarist came with a well-timed challenge under Robert Havlin to overhaul 13/8 favourite Royal Zabeel by a neck.
Havlin said: “That was good. Tom Eaves was very helpful this morning. He told me all about the horse and knows him very well. That proved decisive today.
“Apiarist was dropping back to seven furlongs and there was a good bit of pace in the race. I thought the horse next to me [Noble Truth] was going to lead but he ended up getting shuffled back because of pressure from the outside.
“We went a good, even gallop and, once he got there, it felt like he was just doing enough. At the furlong pole, I thought I would beat the second horse a lot easier than I did. I think my horse had a bit more up his sleeve.
“Apiarist is a horse who needs a bit of pace in the race. The straight track at Newcastle for the final might suit him better. He has performed well there before and I would imagine that is where he will go.”
Richard Fahey’s Golden Mind announced himself as a contender in the Sprint division after springing a 22/1 surprise in a class two event at Kempton Park. The four-year-old had some notable juvenile form, including a third in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Over in Ireland at Dundalk, Genoah made a successful handicap debut in an extended 10-furlong handicap. Trainer Michael O’Callaghan is now eyeing Lingfield Park’s AWC Trials Day fixture at the end of the month for the four-year-old’s third qualifying run.
Leadenhall Street may have Three-Year-Old aspirations after scoring comfortably on his first handicap start at Southwell. James Fanshawe’s runner has been raised 8lb to 82.
Andrew Balding’s Tuscan Star is the biggest handicap mover this week, having gone up 14lb to 80 for winning a mile novice at Newcastle. The three-year-old had previously landed a maiden over the same distance at Southwell.
The race to be crowned all-weather champion jockey is developing into a three-horse race, with Hector Crouch and Luke Morris tied first on 51 wins, while Billy Loughnane is hot on their heels on 44 after firing in a treble at Lingfield Park.
Tony Carroll meanwhile continues to dominate in his bid for the all-weather trainers’ championship. The Worcestershire handler has sent out 47 winners so far, placing him 16 clear of his closest challenger James Owen.
