Iconic Code carries home hopes as Hamilton gets ready for off

Track chairman Ian Good’s filly faces seven rivals in handicap

Sir Ian Good at Hamilton Park. Picture: Steve Welsh/SNS

Iconic Code carries the colours of Hamilton Park chairman Sir Ian Good as the track stages its first meeting of the season behind closed doors.

Co-owned by Sir Ian’s daughter Catriona, the Keith Dalgleish-trained five-year-old faces seven rivals in the Palmaris Services Fillies’ Handicap.

Carluke-based Dalgleish, who enjoyed a winner at Ayr on Monday, said: “She has been to Hamilton a few times and wasn’t beaten far about this time last year. She ran really well to finish’s second at Pontefract after the break so hopefully she can go well again.”

Among the opposition to Iconic Code are stable companion Bye Bye Euro, Sarvi, partnered by jump jockey Lucy Alexander, and likely favourite True Believer, trained by Mark Johnston.

The eight-race card opens with the Toolsaver Maiden Auction Fillies Stakes, in which Aish is ridden by Kevin Stott, who opened his Royal Ascot account on Saturday with a memorable double.

However, Miss Milby looks another likely winner for in-form Karl Burke on the back of her promising Beverley debut.

In the Indigo Unified Communications Handicap, Stott’s partner Megan Nicholls – daughter of leading national hunt trainer Paul Nicholls – is on board B Fifty Two with seven-time Hamilton Park scorer Economic Crisis also in the line-up.

As is Pavers Pride, who was a runner-up at Beverley last time out and, equipped with a first-time visor, has prospects of going one better on his second start for Paul Midgley.

At Haydock, Midnights Legacy can reward those with patience and stamina by delivering in the final race of 10 on a marathon card.

Alan King’s colt was put up 7lb for winning by just a head over this course two weeks ago, but was far from flattered by his margin of victory and finished strongly enough to suggest the extra two furlongs of the Billinge Handicap will be spot on.

The three-year-old hails from a famous dual-purpose family which has done King and the owners so proud over the years – and after consecutive victories in two of only three career outings to date, he could well be one of the best in the line.

If so, a rating of 88 looks feasible to keep the stable’s fine form going after their golden treble at Royal Ascot last week.

The Crank Handicap looks highly competitive, but Angel Power’s profile is compelling.

The King Power filly hails from the stable of Roger Varian, which was in near unstoppable form during last week’s Royal meeting, and was an easy winner of only her second career start at Chelmsford.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director