Celeric to prove his class

CELERIC can cope with another rise in class and land the £30,000 added East Coast Doncaster Cup on Town Moor today. David Morley's four year old simply hasn't stopped improving, since winning a York handicap back in May.

He landed some good bets when showing a good turn of foot to take the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle in June but his best performance came at York last month.

Contesting the Listed Lonsdale Stakes, Celeric left his rivals for dead once he hit the front a fur long out, beating Always Aloof two lengths. Incidentally, that form received a nice boost last weekend when Always Aloof registered a fine win in the Group Three Prix Gladiateur at Longchamp.

On dismounting at York, Willie Carson told Morley that he had a Gold Cup prospect for next year and Celeric now gets a big chance to prove he's up to that level as he faces Double Trigger.

Winner of the Gold Cup in 1995, the latter was sent off 1 to 2 favourite for this year's race but came up against another smart customer in Classic Cliche.

Double Trigger spread a plate there and was found to have hurt his foot but is reportedly fighting fit once more. He is the strict form selection but could find himself vulnerable to Celeric's excellent finishing speed.

Reams Of Verse can come out best of some promising fillies in the £25,000 added, May Hill Stakes. Henry Cecil's filly had to work hard to land odds of 4 to 7 at Newmarket last time but may have met a smart sort in Bint Batadee.

Reams Of Verse held on by neck as Bint Baladee ran very green but the pair put 14 lengths between them and the rest of the field, an impressive distance over seven furlongs, even on rain softened ground. Now Reams Of Verse can prove beyond doubt that she's a serious 1000 Guineas candidate.

At Chepstow, Miss Universal is napped to gain a deserved first success in the Silurian Scania Fillies' Conditions Stakes.

One of Clive Brittain's specialities being able to produce horses that can hold their own in smart company before they've even won a race and Miss Universal is the latest to fall into that category.

She was far from disgraced when under four lengths fifth to Shake The Yoke in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and luck just hasn't been on her side since. Brett Doyle's mount subsequently went down by a short head to Sheer Danzig in the £50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Handicap at Sandown.

And she would have won a Listed race at Sandown last lime had not Wandering Star improved by several pounds to land the spoils. Miss Universal is the clear form choice and should see off her three rivals with a bit up her sleeve

Al Shaatl catches the eye in the Scania 4 Series King Of The Road Handicap. Roland O'Sullivan's six year old will have been sharpened up by an encouraging run at Kempton - his first for six months - and is on a handy mark.

At Newton Abbot, best bet is Second Colours, who should have too much speed for her opponents in the Thurlestone Hotel Centenary Celebrations Novices Hurdle.