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Battersea powered up for HQ

3 minute read

Roger Varian hopes the handicapper has not yet caught up with Battersea ahead of the inaugural running of the Betfred TV Stakes at Newmarket.

Trainer - ROGER VARIAN
Trainer - ROGER VARIAN Picture: Racing and Sports

With £100,000 on offer, a classy field has unsurprisingly been assembled, but Varian's hat-trick-seeking colt has already won a similarly valuable race at Ascot last time out.

The handler said: "He's definitely a horse on the upgrade and he's still improving. He's gone up 10lb for the second of his wins so he's going to need to still have a bit in hand. It's going to be harder for him now but I think he's a very nice horse."

Charlie Fellowes is beginning to make a name for himself and one of the reasons why is the exploits of Epsom Hill, who has been on the go since May but continues to improve and went close in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock in September.

"He's improved all year and I think what has helped him is that he always keeps a bit back for himself," said the trainer.

"I'm confident he is still thriving and his work continues to improve, he's absolutely bouncing. I think he'll run a nice race again as I've seen nothing at home to suggest he won't. He perhaps could have done with a little more rain, but that isn't a big issue."

Adventure Seeker was second in the Melrose Stakes at York but was a never-nearer sixth in the Mallard at Doncaster, when a slow pace was against him.

Trainer Ed Vaughan said: "He had a bad draw at York and had to slot in early on. He then only had a couple left to pass, but he'd used up his run just a bit too early.

"He went up 6lb for that, but Doncaster was just a no-go. He ended up too far back and they only crawled, so nothing got into it from the rear.

"We're dropping him back to a mile and a half now as that should ensure a better gallop, but we may go back up in trip at some point. The track should suit, a nice long straight so he can wind up from some way out. I think he's probably better with a bit of juice in the ground as well."

Saeed bin Suroor runs two unexposed types in Flag War and Famous Kid.

He said: "Flag War is working well, he is in good form and I think the trip will suit him. Famous Kid is also doing well, his last piece of work was very good and I hope both horses can run well."

Knife Point ran earlier in the week, when second in a mile-and-a-half handicap at Leicester.

Trainer Hugo Palmer told his StanJames.com blog: "Knife Point was second again at Leicester on Tuesday. On the slightly loose ground, the winner just quickened better than him, which was frustrating.

"I've declared him to run again because there aren't very many options for him. He's got a very light weight and it's a valuable race, so we'll see what we can do."


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