Chris Dixon's Notes And Angles: Don't let Trawlerman slip through the net

The first Notes And Angles column of the new Flat season has aged pretty well given the subsequent successes of tracker additions Vintage Clarets and Aventuriere, while the Hot Form race has started to throw up a few winners. You’d hardly be getting rich given the prices involved though, so hopefully there will be a few more winners to follow from that piece penned a few weeks ago.

Among them could be Mid Winster, who showed loads of pace into the headwind at Doncaster on her seasonal return and can hopefully last longer in the 6f handicap at Ripon on Thursday, while Flyin’ Solo has several entries in the week ahead and can hopefully build on what was a very good run in the circumstances at Wolverhampton - a race subsequently franked by the winner going in again.

Flyin’ Solo’s stablemate Russian Virtue is also entered in a few places and shaped nicely in that Hot Form race at Doncaster. I’ll have a close eye on his destination during what I’m hoping could be a decent week for trainer David Menuisier, who had his first winner of the campaign at Newcastle on Tuesday.

Onto the latest additions to the Racingtv.com Tracker and there’s four horses I’m suggesting go in this week, starting with a potentially smart horse for John & Thady Gosden.

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Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

The race he won at Pontefract last week didn’t appear to have a great deal of depth to it, but that didn’t stop him making a big impression and looking a useful prospect for the season ahead.

He look sure to improve with time and distance this term, being by Golden Horn and out of a mare who didn’t race until her three-year-old season. She was a Group-placed stayer four, while granddam Sweet Stream won the Park Hill and Prix Vermeille.

Trawlerman clocked both a good overall time and closing sectional and looks to have pace and class to go with his stamina. I expect he’s a pattern-class performer in waiting, so the handicapper’s opening assessment of 93 is one he can leave behind should he go that route on his way to higher-level competiton.

Trainer: - Eve Johnson Houghton

He didn’t really progress from a promising start to his career last season, but his reappearance at Nottingham last week suggested he can win a race or two this time around.

Dropped back significantly in trip, he finished off strongly having failed to negotiate a clear passage and had more in the tank as he crossed the line. He wouldn’t have been far away granted a clear run and is clearly effective at this trip, though a bit further would probably see him in a better light. There’s a chance he’ll also prove best with some sort of give in the ground.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on him next time as I’m sure he’ll be breaking his duck soon.

Trainer: Ralph Beckett

Following Ralph Beckett's two-year-olds on their second start was a decent source of finding winners last term and Angel Bleu looks like one who can be found a winning opportunity soon given the promise he showed on debut at Leicester last week.

Slightly outpaced at half way, he was briefly interfered with over a furlong from home but kept on well late on and suggested he'll improve once up to six furlongs.

By Dark Angel out of a half-sister to Highland Reel, the dam's side of his pedigree also suggests a bit further than the minimum trip will suit and I expect him to progress next time, perhaps significantly.

Trainer: Sir Mark Todd

He didn’t achieve much in a couple of outings as a two-year-old, but he's progressing now and was unfortunate not to make a successful handicap debut at Windsor on Monday.

Still last and travelling within himself with less than three furlongs to run, he came home strongly once switched to the centre of the track but was unable to peg back the enterprisingly-ridden winner at a track which often favours those ridden more prominently.

This effort and his pedigree suggest he’ll improve once stepping up to ten furlongs and he shouldn’t be long in getting off the mark.

Hot form:

There were a few handicaps to potentially choose from this week, but I’m putting forward the novice won by Lord Protector at Windsor on Monday as a race to follow.

Several of the field made plenty of appeal on pedigree and will be qualified for handicaps after this, where I expect they could soon be making an impact. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Wahraan and Evaluation are of particular interest after each shaped with significant promise.