Luke Morris: I think there is improvement in him
Rantan
He clearly didn’t run up to anywhere near his best in Ireland last time, but at least he was dropped 3lb for it, and is now on a very favourable mark if he can return to form. He is now 7lb lower than when second at Haydock last season, and that was over 6f on soft ground, so his chance is obvious on that form. He did run poorly last time, though.
Via Via
I thought he would run better than his price suggested in the Lincoln, and he did just that in finishing sixth at 25/1, and he would have finished a bit closer had he got a clearer run from a furlong or so out. We had the option of staying in handicaps with him, especially as was dropped 2lb for that Doncaster run, but 7f and soft ground will suit him and he has run well over course and distance before. Obviously, it is a very big ask against much higher rated horses, but I think there is improvement in him and hopefully this race will be strongly run to bring his stamina into play.
Reactive
I don’t know anything about him at the moment but this trip should suit on breeding and the dam was a heavy-ground winner, so that’s a positive.
Sputnik Platinum
He had been gelded and was making his debut for new connections when winning for me at Chelmsford last month. He showed a really good attitude to dig out the win there in a fair time and, while the second hasn’t run since, the third and fourth have done well in defeat since. He is up 8lb and in a better race, and has never raced on soft before, but hopefully he can step up again from Chelmsford.
Island Court
He was rated 74 after a fair third at Wolverhampton last year but he hasn’t reproduced that level of form in three subsequent starts, including on his debut for this stable in February. He has dropped to a mark of 70, though, and hopefully the first-time cheekpieces and longer trip, as well as the soft ground, will suit and bring about improvement. But there are a lot of question marks.
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