Lynda Ramsden may be entering her final few months as a trainer but her horses are still a serious force to be reckoned with. And her Alhawa catches the eye in today's £10,000-added H & K Commissions Handicap at Newmarket.
This 20-runner televised contest looks sure to produce a lively betting market and Alhawa has the makings of a potential morning "steamer".
His form this year consists of a couple of duck eggs but that does not tell the full story. Indeed, the five-year-old has been knocking on the door to take a race like this for a couple of years.
In 1996, when trained by John Benstead, he showed good form to beat subsequent Royal Hunt Cup winner Yeast and finished a close seventh of 31 to North Song in the Britannia Handicap.
Alhawa then joined Reg Akehurst and was the subject of a gamble when fourth of 14 to Star Talent at Sandown.
He had his first run for current connections at Thirsk in May but reportedly hurt himself coming out of the stalls and was virtually pulled up.
He did not appear again until racing at Doncaster eight days ago. Contesting a 21-runner handicap, he never landed a blow and finished 11th behind La Modiste.
Alhawa should come on for that and is certainly well-treated now - 11lb lower than his Britannia run.
Fruits Of Love can solve the puzzle of the £55,000 Princess Of Wales's Stakes. This looks as tricky a Group Two race as one could wish for. And as Fruits Of Love has been sometimes hard to weigh up he is not the obvious choice.
A useful juvenile, Mark Johnston's colt made a satisfactory reappearance at York in May when six and a half lengths third of five to Greek Dance. He then contested a Group Three race at the Curragh but after cutting out the running he stopped as if shot and came home fifth of six to Quws.
And in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, he ran no race and trailed home a distant last of 10 behind Royal Anthem. However, things took a significant turn for the better at Kempton last Wednesday.
In a wide-open Listed race, Fruits Of Love found himself jammed at the back of the field and, when an opening came too late, he ran for his life but could not peg back Happy Valentine, beaten one and a half lengths. He clearly has the ability to take this prize.
Hong Kong apprentice Eddie Lai was taken to hospital with shoulder and face injuries after suffering a horrific fall in the final race at Musselburgh yesterday.
Lai, 25, was fired to the ground when Lady Rachel clipped the heels of a runner in front in the Beamish Irish Red Fillies' Handicap.
The racecourse medical officer Dr John McLaren said: "He has sustained a shoulder injury and an injury to his face as well as bruising round the eye."
