Flight Plan can take off at Pontefract

Flight Plan can make full use of his weight-for-age allowance as he contests the Sky Bet Pomfret Stakes on Sunday at Pontefract.

The three-year-old gets a handy 8lb pull from his five older rivals in this mile Listed heat and with his rating of 105, that should certainly put him in the driving seat.

Karl Burke's charge started his 2023 campaign with a fine second in Listed company on All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle, making a seamless switch to a mile to be beaten just a neck when his yard perhaps was not in truly top form.

An audacious 2000 Guineas run failed to pay dividends as Flight Plan beat only the lame Little Big Bear home, but his seventh in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot offered a bit more promise.

Beaten three and a half lengths, he raced prominently and perhaps paid for that slightly in the finish, but nevertheless it was a decent effort at Group Three level and a repeat of that might well be good enough here.

Dubai Souq can make amends for his odds-on defeat in May with victory in the Pontefract And District Golf Club Ltd Handicap.

Saeed bin Suroor's charge was well fancied at Windsor and set out to make all before having to give best by three lengths to the fast-finishing Monteira.

He is a better horse with a bit of cut in the ground and his unchanged mark of 85 is clearly competitive.

Retraction is the pick in the second division of the Northern Commercials Iveco 'S' Way Maiden Stakes.

The Dark Angel colt displayed some promise on his only juvenile outing at the backend of last year, beaten two lengths on very testing ground at Redcar.

The front two were a fair way clear of the rest, with a couple of subsequent winners amongst the also-rans that day, so the form is not too bad.

At Uttoxeter, Fidux can finally capitalise on his declining mark in the Elite Handicap Chase.

Rated 147 at his peak a couple of years ago, Fidux is now on a perch of 129 and has not registered a victory since June 2021.

However, there have been plenty of placed efforts in the interim, including a fourth in last year's Scottish Grand National, so Alan King's charge definitely retains ability, even if he is now in the twilight of his career at the age of 10.

His most recent run, when fourth at this track at the start of July, was a decent spin and a 2lb drop from that is a plus - as is the application of cheekpieces.

Cheltenham Festival winner Aramax made the most of his reduced mark when winning at Cartmel in May and a follow-up success looks possible in the Vulcan Refractories Handicap Hurdle.

Raised 6lb for a cosy two-and-three-quarter-length victory, Aramax is still 9lb below his peak and his confidence should be riding high.

A Different Kind hacked up by 12 lengths at this track on his most recent spin and is the choice in the Quinnbet Novices' Limited Handicap Chase. - Press Association

SELECTIONS

PONTEFRACT: 14.45 Estifada, 15.15 Ascari, 15.50 FLIGHT PLAN (NAP), 16.25 Dubai Souq, 17.00 Dubawi Warrior, 17.35 Retraction, 18.10 Imperial Khan.

UTTOXETER: 15.00 Vitani, 15.35 A Different Kind, 16.10 Fidux, 16.45 Aramax, 17.20 Shortcross Storm, 17.55 My Poem.