Notes And Angles: This sprinter looks "very well handicapped"

It is a long journey, but I am really looking forward to heading down to Goodwood later this week for a few days covering the action from the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Racing TV.

And if I’d needed to add a spring to my step ahead of a busy week, then the weekend provided just that.

First of all, I went racing to cover the second day of York’s two-day meeting on Saturday and seeing the Knavesmire full of racegoers having a great time from well before the first, until well after the last, was tremendous to see.

Onto Musselburgh on Sunday and though the crowd was limited to smaller numbers, the weather was great, as was the prize money on the opening day of the £600,000 Sky Bet Sunday Series, and seeing The Jolly Beggars, owners of final race winner Glasses Up, celebrate their winner was just what the game is all about for many syndicate owners.

I don’t know the exact restrictions in place in Scotland right now, but I would have a guess the Jolly Beggars had a pretty good night on Sunday!

Onto this week’s racingtv.com tracker additions and there’s quite a few that I am suggesting who are worth adding in, so here goes.

Trainer: James Ferguson.

Snowalot has been raised 3lb for his second-place finish at Sandown on Wednesday but remains a well-treated horse for the future.

Held up early in a race won by Dancing Harry, who was never far away, Snowalot was caught on the rail at the back of the field as the race began to develop three furlongs from home plus was just caught out of his ground as he had to switch to the outside to get a run.

That proved crucial, and Snowalot did very well to get as close as he did and looks capable of progressing further, especially when stamina is tested more so than was the case here.

Trainer: Les Eyre.

Bedford Flyer has long since looked like a quick horse, but if confirmation were needed then take a look at his close second at Ascot on Friday.

Asked to match strides with the speedball Caspian Prince early on, Bedford Flyer was able to see off the in-form veteran from over two furlongs out but paid the price late on, wandering about slightly and collared by one who came from the back of the field.

A real 5f horse, he might be better suited to less stiff tracks than this and could be one for a big handicap over the minimum trip when speed is at a premium.

Having won at York earlier in the year, the 70k 3yo handicap for apprentice riders at the Ebor meeting appeals as a suitable target.

Trainer: Richard Fahey.

Blind Beggar has had a few excuses since winning well in a Catterick maiden in May and did so again at York on Saturday when putting up a performance that suggests he is a very well-handicapped horse.

Having broken smartly, Blind Beggar showed lots of pace to lead the field and impressed with the way he travelled through the contest but couldn’t hang on as a couple of in-form horses from the back of the field proved too strong late on.

The handicapper has left him alone on a mark of 83, so he’s eligible for much lesser races than this and should be found some good openings, though his connections may well also consider the 5f apprentice handicap at the Ebor meeting which will again be competitive, but they have a well-treated horse to go to war with, wherever that may be.

Trainer: Ed Walker.

Things haven’t quite gone the way of Reina Del Mar in a couple of outings since winning at Newbury last month and that was the case again at the weekend as she seemed unsuited by a steadily run race at York.

Unable to get much cover in midfield off the easy fractions, Reina Del Mar raced too freely and was ill-equipped for the sprint for home.

Keeping on late, she had more to give and will be seen to much better effect in a more strongly run race.

Trainer: Richard Fahey.

Matvei Platov impressed with both his physique and demeanour prior to his debut at Thirsk on Friday but seemed to find five furlongs, on a fast track against experienced rivals, too much of a test of speed.

Those factors exacerbated his greenness and though you couldn’t take obviously huge positives from the performance, I suspect he might be much better with this behind him and will be suited by a step up in trip.

Trainer: David O’Meara.

Safran has taken time to find his feet since joining David O’Meara from his previous yard in France but hit form at York on Friday night and could build on this close to hand.

One of the last off the bridle, he briefly had to wait or a gap when still going well and though not unlucky, he may have been a shade closer without his momentum being marginally checked.

This run suggests his mark is a fair one and he can be found winning opportunities.

The time of the fillies’ handicap won by Havagomecca at Ascot on Friday compared favourably with the preceding higher-grade race won by Mountain Peak and appeals as a race that could work out well.

That view is already supported by the third home, Passional, already having won since, so the boat may have been missed to some extent.

However, others from the race may also be up to franking the form with the in-form, and relatively unexposed, Liberty Bay plus the well-handicapped pair Minhaaj and Princess Power (keep an eye out for a return of headgear) both potentially of interest within their next few runs.