Horse Racing: Drop back puts Fatanah in winning company

FATANAH found the going a bit too tough at Royal Ascot but a drop back to Listed company at Sandown can see her regain the winning thread.

A winner on her seasonal bow over this course and distance in April, her subsequent second in a Listed contest at Newbury prompted connections to raise her sights to the Ribblesdale Stakes at the Berkshire venue.

Although the choice of Richard Hills on that occasion, the Group Two heat proved too big an ask for Marcus Tregoning's filly, although she was quite keen early which would not have helped her task,

suggesting that perhaps 12 furlongs was a trip too far. Fatanah drops back to a mile and a quarter this time, a distance she will definitely see out, and getting a minimum of 16lb from each of her rivals in the Mouton Cadet Gala Stakes, she can exploit the race conditions to the full.

Zebedee is another who bids for redemption after claiming fifth in the Norfolk Stakes at Ascot. The Listed Dragon Stakes should be more his level.

Sparkling Smile can make it a fourth successive win at Doncaster. Now racing off a perch of 82, she could still have a little up her sleeve in the Atteys Solicitors Handicap. She made a victorious seasonal return when landing a Beverley handicap off a mark of 66 in April and defied a 4lb rise to win at Redcar later that month, while a further 4lb hike did not stop her winning at Salisbury last week.