Cool to spark Epsom party

Cool Party is difficult to oppose in the British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes at Epsom on Tuesday.

Unlike the majority of Charlie and Mark Johnston's youngsters, this Postponed colt was slowly away on his Lingfield bow last week and as a result ended up on the back foot and in a poor position.

It is testament to his latent ability that he was still only beaten a diminishing nose by the twice placed Zicatela and he must have every chance of going one better on the Surrey Downs.

Now City Spirit has found the winning groove, she can register a second successive victory in the John Sutcliffe Handicap.

Out of luck in her first four starts for Andrew Balding, she finally came good at the second time of asking in handicap class, triumphing from a mark of 56 at Windsor at the start of August.

The application of a hood appeared to work the oracle that day and with the headgear retained and Harry Davies taking off a useful 3lb, City Spirit should be in the mix again.

Your Spirit should be capable of giving weight and a beating to her rivals in the 21 Engineer Regiment Sapper Nursery Handicap at Ripon.

Five runs have yielded four placed efforts for David O'Meara's youngster thus far, so she would not be winning out of turn if she can strike gold for the first time in North Yorkshire.

She has run into useful fillies like Star Of Lady M, Mersea and Lady Hollywood and performed creditably on each occasion, while an outing in Listed company proved a bridge too far.

An initial perch of 70 for her first foray in handicap company has allowed her to get into this class five contest under top-weight and it will be a shade disappointing if she is unable to break her duck.

Perhaps a return to Chepstow will do the trick for Blue Venture in the Guaranteed Odds At David Lucas Bookmakers Handicap.

Tony Carroll's mare recorded her only win to date in Monmouthshire last summer and filled the runner-up spot on her most recent visit in June.

She was beaten just a neck into second at Newbury next time and is better than her disappointing last run at Windsor suggests.

A record of one win from 24 starts hardly inspires confidence, but she will find few better opportunities than this.

Evening action comes from Carlisle, where the Rebecca Menzies-trained Stormy Pearl ought to go well in the opening Carleton Nursery Handicap.

The Night Of Thunder filly fairly bolted up at Hamilton in July when rated 55, earning her a hefty 8lb hike in the weights.

But she has since shown enough in nurseries at Ayr and Nottingham to suggest she can remain competitive and she has been dropped 1lb since her last run.

The speed she showed when making much of the running over six furlongs at Nottingham suggests the drop back to a minimum trip might see her in a better light.

Following back-to-back wins at Southwell and Perth, Byzantine Empire can complete his hat-trick for Fergal O'Brien in the Brendon Soper Memorial Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

CARLISLE: 17.40 Stormy Pearl, 18.15 Dream Deal, 18.50 Enderman, 19.20 Oskar, 19.50 Desert Land, 20.20 Invisible Friend, 20.50 Bouncing Bobby.

CHEPSTOW: 14.20 Manitou, 14.50 Gumais, 15.25 Bama Lama, 16.00 Blue Venture, 16.30 Broadspear, 17.00 Autumn Festival.

EPSOM: 14.40 Star Player, 15.15 COOL PARTY (NAP), 15.50 City Spirit, 16.20 Qeyaady, 16.50 Mellys Flyer, 17.20 Bonus, 17.55 Bear To Dream.

NEWTON ABBOT: 17.30 Chadlington Lad, 18.05 On Springs, 18.40 Lady Reset, 19.10 Byzantine Empire, 19.40 Jen's Boy, 20.10 Mr Mafia, 20.40 Ranco.

RIPON: 14.30 Girl Magic, 15.00 Katie's Kitten, 15.35 Your Spirit, 16.10 Good Regal, 16.40 Khabib, 17.10 Yoshimi, 17.45 Infiniti.