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Bank on The Covex Kid at Brighton

3 minute read

The Covex Kid is enjoying a fantastic debut season for Amy Murphy and can add to his tally in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Brighton Mile.

Trainer: AMY MURPHY Picture: Pat Healy Photography

The Mehmas gelding showed precious little in three juvenile starts for Paul Midgley last season, but that did at least allow him to enter the handicap arena from a lowly perch for his new connections.

The Covex Kid won comfortably off a mark of 46 on his return at Lingfield and in the space of a couple of weeks completed a hat-trick as he added further victories at Beverley and Catterick to his CV.

June defeats at Lingfield and Newbury suggested the handicapper may have finally caught up with him, albeit he was not beaten far on either occasion from his revised mark of 65.

But Amy Murphy's charge dispelled that notion when bolting up off 67 over this course and distance three weeks ago on what was just his second start over a mile.

The three-year-old is now rated 75, which is clearly a hefty hike from where he started off his campaign, but he remains open to further progress at this trip and looks sure to go close once more.

Desert Team looks capable of giving weight and a beating to her rivals in the opening Star Property Group Handicap at the seaside venue.

Runner-up on her sole start as a two-year-old, the Invincible Spirit filly has built on that promise by winning three of her three of her six outings in 2022.

She looked all speed when dominating from the front on her latest outing at Newmarket over five furlongs, so fast ground over five and a half at Brighton should suit.

Apprentice Harry Burns, who has been on board for her last two victories, keeps the partnership intact and a 3lb rise for her latest triumph does not look insurmountable.

The Jedd O'Keeffe-trained Kincade can notch a deserved victory in the tiesplanet.com – Ladies Love Guys In Ties Handicap at Pontefract.

The three-year-old is one of two leading contenders in a six-strong field for the Leyburn handler along with recent Chester winner Nikhi, who undoubtedly merits respect.

But Kincade carries 6lb less than his stablemate and in being placed at Southwell, Ripon at Sandown this season, has looked ready for this step up to two miles.

With Hollie Doyle a positive jockey booking, he can open his account in West Yorkshire.

Border Edge is one of the potential class acts on show at Kempton.

Down the field behind the top-class Maljoom on his Doncaster debut, Charlie Appleby's youngster raised his game to absolutely trounce his rivals on his second start at Nottingham.

That form looks pretty sound with the runner-up, Counsel, winning readily since to solidify a mark in the early 80s.

Border Edge should be capable of defying a penalty in the first division of the Unibet Horserace Betting Operator Of The Year Novice Stakes before stepping up in grade.

Qoya catches the eye in the Download The At The Races App Fillies' Handicap at Newcastle.

While not one of the brighter lights in William Haggas' powerful stable, the daughter of Almanzor has hinted at ability in each of her four starts.

She looked a little one paced on her handicap debut at Windsor recently, but is up slightly in trip in the north east and it will be interesting to see if the application of a tongue-tie makes a difference.

It is worth noting she is the only Haggas runner on the card.

The Newmarket handler could also be among the winners at Yarmouth, with Morgan Fairy the pick in the Moulton Nurseries Fillies' Handicap.

Faced with just two rivals, the recent Newbury scorer can hit the target again.

SELECTIONS:

BRIGHTON: 1.40 Desert Team, 2.10 Grandstand, 2.40 Kelapa, 3.10 Global Style, 3.40 THE COVEX KID (NAP), 4.10 Redredrobin, 4.40 Rosequiano.

KEMPTON: 5.15 Opticality, 5.50 Border Edge, 6.20 Moon Watch, 6.50 New Endeavour, 7.20 Night Glass, 7.50 Mountain Queen, 8.20 Duke Of Verona, 8.50 Smart Champion.

NEWCASTLE: 1.30 Caracristi, 2.00 Hougoumont, 2.30 Arnold, 3.00 Qoya, 3.30 Rocket Rod, 4.00 Engles Rock, 4.30 Lady Celia.

PONTEFRACT: 2.20 Dandy's Angel, 2.50 Monte Forte, 3.20 Kincade, 3.50 Jackhammer, 4.20 Red Kite, 4.50 Vaunted, 5.20 Commandment.

SLIGO: 5.30 Lily Of The Glen, 6.00 Butterfly Garden, 6.30 Bay Of Bengal, 7.00 Queen Of Ours, 7.30 Hilltop's Bear, 8.00 Lion Ring, 8.30 Barometer.

YARMOUTH: 5.10 Easy Equation, 5.40 Annie Maher, 6.10 Double O, 6.40 Morgan Fairy, 7.10 Grandfather Tom, 7.40 Pretty Shiftwell, 8.10 Jack Ryan.

DOUBLE: Desert Team and The Covex Kid.