KNIGHTS AFFAIR ONE TO FOLLOW AT CATTERICK

By Tony Kelshaw

David O’Meara’s runners have been in red-hot form of late and Knights Affair can help to maintain that momentum by claiming Catterick’s Sky Bet Go-Racing-In-Yorkshire Summer Festival Handicap.

O’Meara sent out four straight scorers over the weekend to make it 11 wins in a fortnight and has another strong fancy in Wednesday’s feature event.

Knights Affair has really found his feet as a four-year-old – and it seems no surprise to connections, judged on the support he received when fourth on his seasonal reappearance at Ayr in mid-May.

That was followed by a couple of very encouraging seconds at Doncaster and Catterick before he secured a deserved first success in emphatic fashion at Musselburgh, where he hit the front at the furlong pole and drew clear to prevail by three lengths.

A 5lb upgrade is rated a fair response and dropping back down in distance to a mile and a half offers up no concerns, so the stage is set for Knights Affair to continue on an upward curve.

The well named Easy Peeler can build on her promising Ripon debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes.

John and Sean Quinn’s filly kept on well when chasing home proven performer Violet Love, now a three-time winner, and pulled nicely clear of the rest of the field that day.

Her dam Satsuma has already produced five scorers, including the speedy Good Vibes, who landed the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes as a juvenile.

Chuti Manika was also an eyecatching runner-up on his racecourse bow at Ayr and is taken to go one better in the Bradford Club Optimists’ Corner Restricted Maiden Stakes.

Out of Assault On Rome, who has so far given the Johnstons a trio of multiple winners, this Magna Grecia colt went down by just a neck to fellow joint-favourite Wattani at Ayr recently.

Harmonia gave the first real indication of her true worth when just edged out by Law Degree at Beverley and now gets the nod in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Nursery Handicap.

The front two both showed plenty of spirit in a ding-dong battle and left the third home some three lengths behind, so simply reproducing that effort should be enough for another bold showing.

Inherit is a daughter of Breeders’ Cup heroine Queen’s Trust and can start to uphold family honour by winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap at Leicester.

Sir Michael Stoute’s charge has been placed at Yarmouth and Newmarket so far this term and an opening mark of 75 gives her every opportunity to get off the mark.

Dream Voyage stands out at Salisbury in the Hot To Trot Racing/Roger Jowett Memorial British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes following a nice debut third at Newmarket.

The daughter of Kingman looked plenty green enough on that occasion and Hugo Palmer’s juveniles usually come on for their first public outing.

Top tips for today’s UK meetings

TAB is betting on 4 UK meetings today. Here are the tips.

LINGFIELD: Race 1: 15.20 Gracious Leader, Race 2: 15.50 Inbetweenus, Race 3: 16.20 Hettie
Jack, Race 4: 16.50 Nad Alshiba Green, Race 5: 17.20 Hombre, Race 6: 17.50 Shaws Phoenix.

CATTERICK: Race 1: 15.40 Easy Peeler, Race 2: 16.10 Chuti Manika, Race 3: 16.40 Harmonia,
Race 4: 17.10 Obee Jo, Race 5: 17.40 KNIGHTS AFFAIR (NAP), Race 6: 18.10 Soul Singer.

LEICESTER: Race 1: 18.35 Rinnovati, Race 2: 19.10 Caribbean Wind, Race 3: 19.45 Chicago
Gal, Race 4: 20.20 Dubawi Time, Race 5: 20.50 Inherit, Race 6: 21.20 High Violet.

SALISBURY: Race 1: 19.00 Roman Princess, Race 2: 19.30 Priapos, Race 3: 20.05 Dream
Voyage, Race 4: 20.40 Under Curfew, Race 5: 21.10 Echo Lima, Race 6: 21.40 Clearance.

ALL TO COME: Chuti Manika and Knights Affair (Catterick, Races 2 and 5).

For fields, race betting and more information go to www.tab4Racing.com