Charlotte looks sweet

CHARLOTTE BRONTE failed to earn a classic ticket at Leopardstown last weekend but winning pickings look available to the David Wachman-trained filly at Gowran Park tomorrow.

Wachman's admission at the start of the season that his three-year-olds are not an earth-shattering bunch hadn't squashed hopes that Charlotte Bronte might be an exception.

The €240,000 purchase duly won her maiden and was a leading player going into last weekend's 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown where she faded to sixth. Charlotte Bronte was still beaten just over five lengths behind Carribean Sunset and her 98 rating puts her in with a big shout in the mile conditions race where her opposition includes the consistent but exposed Summit Surge as well as John Oxx's Sharleez.

Another Wachman runner to run in that Leopardstown trial was Amaranda who might have finished last but was still less than nine lengths off the winner. She lines up for the seven-furlong maiden and the Ballydoyle representative, Observation Post, doesn't look the most reliable sort.

Malande has topweight in the mile-and-a-half handicap and also has a 12lb hike in the ratings to cope with. However, anyone who saw the Jim Bolger runner sluice up on her last start at the Curragh won't look too far away from her for a winner.

Navan's all-jumps card could be a fixture that rewards those National Hunt horses who can act on a fast surface. One of those may be Charlie Swan's Prince Noora who ran a much better race on quick ground when third at Cork, a run that should put him into the forefront of the Beginners Chase.

Cara Mara won on heavy ground at Sligo on her last start but also has placed form on much faster ground and that versatility should be valuable in the two-and-three-quarter-mile handicap hurdle.