Turf test as North Yorkshire colt Bordoni tackles Catterick track (From Gazette & Herald)

Turf test as North Yorkshire colt Bordoni tackles Catterick track

10:47am Tuesday 24th April 2012 in Sport By Tom O'Ryan, Racing journalist

North Yorkshire colt Bordoni, who has shown a useful level of ability on Polytrack, heads to his local Catterick course tomorrow to prove himself on turf.

Trained at Middleham by Mark Johnston, the three-year-old runs in the featured Richmond Conditions Stakes and is fancied to take plenty of beating, provided he can handle the forecast soft underfoot conditions.

A winner at Lingfield on his second start, Bordoni has since finished a good second at Kempton, beaten by only a neck.

Both those races were over a mile-and-a-half, so the identical distance of tomorrow’s race holds no fears for him. He should be hard to beat.

Brian Ellison has his horses in good nick and Majestic Breeze can provide the Norton trainer with another winner in the Dine And View At Catterick Races Handicap over five furlongs.

Barry McHugh’s mount finished a creditable third over this course and distance a couple of weeks ago. A similar level of form may be good enough to land this run of the mill race.

Trail Blaze, who showed plenty of ability last season without getting his head in front, can set the record straight on his reappearance in the Read Hayley At racinguk.com Every Friday Maiden Stakes.

The three-year-old has earned himself a rating of 79 and if he runs to that sort of figure he will be hard to beat under Phil Makin.

Previous course winner Danceintothelight (4.15) and Northern Bolt (5.50), who ran well to finish fourth at Thirsk last Saturday, are two others to consider.

Tim Easterby sends Lost In Paris to Epsom’s opening meeting for the Investec Specialist Bank Handicap.

The speedy six-year-old ran a fair first race of the season at Musselburgh to finish fourth and should have benefited from that outing. He is expected to figure in the shake-up in a wide open race and is awarded the nap vote at expected decent odds.

The Investec Great Metropolitan Handicap is the target for Aiken, who looked most progressive last season when he won his last three races.

John Gosden is likely to be able to coax further improvement from the four-year-old this term and this mile-and-a-half event looks a good starting point for him.

Gosden looks set for a profitable afternoon on the Derby course.

The Newmarket trainer also has good chances with Dick Doughtywylie, who created a favourable impression in his three starts last season and looks capable of better still. He lines up in the Investec City And Suburban Handicap.

The promising Sunpass, runner-up on her reappearance earlier this month, can also score for Gosden and his stable jockey William Buick in the Investec Asset Management Maiden Stakes.

In the £50,000 Investec Derby Trial, it would perhaps be unwise to overlook Cameron Highland, who represents Newmarket trainer Roger Varian.

This is a big step up, but he looks an exciting prospect.

Racing selections

Catterick (tomorrow)

2.05 Shop Til You Drop, 2.40 Trail Blaze, 3.10 Art Dzeko, 3.45 Bordoni, 4.15 Danceintothelight, 4.45 Majestic Breeze, 5.15 Rosie’s Lady, 5.50 Northern Bolt.

Epsom (tomorrow)

2.15 Lost In Paris (NAP), 2.50 Aiken, 3.20 Cameron Highland, 3.55 Dick Doughtywylie, 4.30 Sunpass, 5.00 Uncle Roger.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Hereford, Kempton and Perth.

Today’s other meetings

Southwell, Towcester and Wolverhampton. Newton Abbot, Folkestone and Newcastle have been abandoned.