Mark Rowntree's Thursday tips: "his form looks strong"

Eve Johnson Houghton’s Flying Pirate boiled over in the preliminaries on his second start at Salisbury so, while much respected on the strength of his debut win, is best watched returning as a gelding (and in cheekpieces) off a near ten-week break.

Meanwhile, Karl Burke’s Reflect On Glory looked more straightforward, determinedly repelling The Mean Fiddler (a subsequent short-odds Musselburgh winner) at Ripon. This Redcar Two-Year-Old-Trophy entrant is capable of defying a penalty on his first attempt over seven furlongs.

A well-established fillies’ maiden, which went to Balanchine in 1993 – successful in the Oaks and Irish Derby the following year. Juddmonte’s Concurrent, a half-sister to the dual AW Listed winner Juncture, and Ralph Beckett’s 450,000gns yearling Ellavara are notable newcomers.

However, John and Thady Gosden’s Thi Qar has the benefit of experience and sets a strong benchmark, losing out narrowly after a protracted tussle with the €1.1 million breeze-up pick Lex Victoria on the July Course at Newmarket. She holds notable late-season entries in the Rockfel Stakes and the Fillies’ Mile.

The smooth-travelling Colourband was unable to fend off the progressive Empirical over a mile and a quarter at Ayr on his penultimate start, but dropping back in trip to a mile, in a newly applied tongue-tie, reaped dividends at Windsor.

That form looks strong, with the runner-up Knights Gold winning since at Brighton, and the fourth Magical Merlot also delivering at Newbury. Therefore, Simon & Ed Crisford’s charge could prove capable of defying a 5lb rise (1lb well-in) on his first attempt in a Class 3 handicap.

The Cumbrian trainer Tristan Davidson has his small string in fine fettle, Polygram, Runninsonofagun, Divilabother, and Harb (on heavy at Beverley) all recent winners.

Under a 4lb penalty, Harb bids for a swift follow up, in a weak finale at Gosforth Park. The seven-year-old has a decent strike-rate (10-67) for a Class 6 handicapper and is expected to take the switch back to AW in his stride.