Lucky colours back in action for Sherman McCoy and Monopoli bids to follow up – thoughts on tomorrows runners

Sherman McCoy returns to action after being given a short break in the 5.05 at Salisbury tomorrow. William Twiston Davies resumes his partnership and take a useful 5lbs off his back  in the mile and a half handicap. Sherman McCoy seems to have been rejuvenated by a six week break turned out since his last run and looks to be really enjoying life at the moment. The trip is a bit short of his optimum of a mile and three quarters but he has run well over this distance so hopefully he will put up a bold show in some colours that have been lucky for us in the past. He’ll be sporting the colours of David Dacosta who owned our very first winner.

The horse they’ll all have to beat is Gold Mine who put up a good performance last time out and looked progressive previously before a long break.

Monopoli runs in the 6.30 at Lingfield. Champion jockey Richard Hughes takes the ride in the mile and a half handicap. The filly finally got her act together for us last time in a weak seller and hopefully that will have given her some confidence. Although stepping up in trip is always a question mark it shouldn’t be problem for this filly as she is from a family that has produced many good mile and half winners, including her mother and half sister as well as more glamorously Oaks winner Talent. The all weather looks to be a question mark when reviewing her form but she has excuses on a couple of her starts for us and we feel she handles the polytrack well enough.

The race looks to be very competitive and cases can be made for several of the runners, Cape Alex looks to be suited by conditions and if her recent turf run is ignored has been improving on the all weather tracks. Similar comments apply to Thane of Cawdor whose recent turf run can be ignored. Steely can’t be discounted under Ryan Moore but will have to recapture last year’s form after a couple of dismal efforts this year, he does sport a hood for the first time this year.