At The Races

NUMBER ONE LONDON ATR Tracker
(Chester, 8th May)
Finished third earlier in a Newbury event that is throwing up winners all over the place and Number One London is a bit better than he showed in this 1m2f maiden. Number One London was keen early and Kieren Fallon tried hard to settle him towards the rear under restraint. Brian Meehan's colt was subsequently caught out of his ground when Space Ship and Butterfly McQueen quickened off the home turn but stayed on pleasingly into third without being given a hard time.
 
MAJEED ATR Tracker
(Chester, 8th May)
Picked up a Wolverhampton maiden before being pitched into this 1m4f handicap by David Simcock. His colt seemed ill at ease on the track but was still in there pitching when the pace quickened. Unfortunately, Majeed was in the wrong place at the wrong time down on the rail and when eventually switched to find racing room, the race already had been put to bed. This was still a promising effort in fourth and expect better next time.
 
PROOFREADER ATR Tracker
(Chester, 9th May)
The formbook is littered with hard-luck stories around the Roodee and Proofreader certainly falls into this category. Although a four-year-old, John Gosden's gelding hasn't had much racing and was wearing his 'L' plates when veering off the paddock bend. Tightened up turning for home, Proofreader stayed on late into third and the son of Authorized will stay further than this 1m2f trip.
 
MALACHIM MIST ATR Tracker
(Goodwood, 9th May)
Difficult to know where Malachim Mist stands in the Richard Hannon pecking order given the trainer's battalion of two-year-olds, but there was plenty to like about this performance. Clearly benefiting from a run at Newbury three weeks earlier, and appreciating this 6f trip, Malachim Mist broke smartly under Sean Levey and never saw another horse. Runner-up Lanark was well-supported for Mark Johnston and this looked a decent contest.
 
MUHARRER ATR Tracker
(Haydock, 11th May)
Michael Dods has adopted a patient approach with Andrew Tinkler's four-year-old and Muharrer was having only his fourth career start in this 1m 2f handicap. Sent off a 16-1 chance, the gelding was no match for odds-on Hanseatic but stuck on bravely enough in second to suggest he's capable of winning a northern handicap.

STABLEFORD ATR Tracker
(Doncaster, 13th May)
There was little interest in the betting ring for Brian Meehan's three-year-old but the colt belied his 33-1 odds by running a cracker donning the famous Sangster silks in this 1m three-year-old maiden. Matrooh was a well-backed jolly and won in the fashion of an improving type, but Stableford caught the eye by slicing through the pack (17 runners) into second. A couple of fancied Sir Michael Stoute-trained horses were back in third and fourth, so the form is probably quite strong.