Last year, as a juvenile he rounded his season off with a couple of impressive wins at Doncaster.

Sadly for all concerned, he suffered an injury and it was not until early last month that he reappeared at Pontefract in a handicap.

His second under 9st 3lb beaten only a length by Mangham was an encouraging effort and, as his work indicated that he was smart, Cecil raised his sights going for a Listed Race here on the Rowley Mile but he was anchored by the soft ground.

He finished only ninth to With Interest but judging by the way he strode out when I watched him do his final faster bit of work for this race on the Al Bahathri last Saturday, he should be able to use it as a stepping board to greater heights.


Lucy Wadham's strong jumping team is getting into top gear and The Dark Lord will be backed to confirm this with a win in the Southern National Handicap Chase at Fontwell on Sunday.

The evergreen eleven-year-old won twice at Fakenham last season before putting in arguably his best effort of the season to finish third to Himalayan Trail in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in March.

He stays for ever and as he has acted round Fakenham, the Fontwell figure of eight configuration should hold no terrors for him.

Just note that he is also in the three mile one furlong totesport.com handicap Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

Wadham has been patient with her string alongside Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin state-of-the-art Moulton Paddocks complex but a couple or recent winners indicate the yard is hitting peak form.


I have always liked the progressive Light Yield, who goes for the Cotswold Style Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Last season after getting his head in front for a length-and-three-quarters win over Fredo at Stratford, he tackled a tougher task at Cheltenham.

Though he had to settle for second place to Katies Tudor, he was keeping on at the end of the race and the extra distance of this race should show him as a staying hurdler to be followed this season.

On the same card, go with the Quinlan brothers' Dev in the paddypower.com Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old had an upwardly mobile profile last season winning at Sandown and ran a sound second to Stan in a Gr 3 handicap chase at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

He was then pulled up at Punchestown but looks forward enough to run a big race at big odds on his reappearance.


William Jarvis could hold the key to the Betdaq.co.uk Handicap at Kempton tomorrow with Kay Gee Be.

He started his racing career with Declan Daly, who is now part of the Godolphin pre-training operation down the Hamilton Road.

A winner for Daly as a juvenile, he then joined the Australia-bound Mark Wallace, who sent him out to win three races last year.

Though he has not won for his third trainer William Jarvis, he caught the eye last time out when staying on to be sixth to Mr Aviator at Doncaster and represents a cracking each-way wager.

Earlier in the afternoon, Michael Jarvis could land the Betdaq.co.uk EBF Maiden Stakes with Raedah.

Though no world-beater, she finished sixth to Catskill Mountains at Newmarket last month and is fancied to improve on that placing.


Jeff Pearce sent the shrewdly-purchased Shadwell reject Dayia out to win good bumpers at Huntingdon and Sandown last season.

The Act One filly came back from a summer break at her owners stud to run a couple of encouraging races at Goodwood and Great Leighs, where she kept on strongly to be third to Drum Major at Great Leighs.

These runs have brought her nearer concert pitch and granted a decent pace to bring her stamina into play I expect to see her take the Three Bridges Maiden Stakes at Lingfield this afternoon.