By Anita Chambers, PA
Regional can secure his first win in the best part of two years in the Hallgarten And Novum Wines Hackwood Stakes at Newbury.
Ed Bethell's charge has not got his head in front since landing the Sprint Cup at Haydock back in September 2023, but that statement does not really do justice to the level of form he has demonstrated in the interim.
The seven-year-old has actually only had five runs since that Group One strike and has placed back at that top level on no less than three occasions, most recently when chasing home American Affair in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Having been beaten less than a length when taking third in the Al Quoz Sprint previously, Regional was a reasonably well-fancied 9-1 shot but was seemingly caught a little for pace over the minimum five furlongs, staying on to take third place again.
Regional is following a familiar route here, having finished fourth in this six-furlong contest 12 months ago when conceding 5lb to three classy three-year-olds just proved beyond him.
There is only one representative from that division this time around which should ease the way a little for Regional.
Rashabar will try to get his season back on track as he steps up to 10 furlongs in the BetVictor Steventon Stakes.
It was hoped he would make his Classic mark this term after a fine juvenile campaign and a decent second in the Greenham on his return, but Rashabar has twice fallen short behind Field Of Gold, firstly when beaten just over five lengths in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before that distance was doubled in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Rashabar just did not have the necessary pace over a mile that day and given the staying credentials further back in his pedigree, it is easy to understand why Brian Meehan moves up in distance here.
Kamakameleon was an 80-1 shot for the Windsor Castle Stakes and certainly outran his odds to come home fifth behind Havana Hurricane, who reopposes in the Weatherbys Super Sprint.
He has to find two and a quarter lengths off identical terms with that rival, but blinkers certainly seem to sharpen him up and can do so again.
Horantzau D'Airy makes his first start for Sara Bradstock in the Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.
The eight-year-old won over hurdles and fences for Willie Mullins before changing hands for 50,000 guineas in an online sale in March, joining Michael Keady and making his yard debut in the Grand National.
Sent off a 150-1 shot, Horantzau D'Airy was 13th of 16 finishers as the marathon four-and-a-quarter-mile trip proved beyond his remit, but he showed more when dropped back to two and a half miles at Uttoxeter in May.
Beaten five lengths there, Horantzau D'Airy subsequently joined Bradstock and his current mark of 141 is the same as when he finished a fine second in the Kerry National last summer.
Goblet Of Fire can strike in the supporting event in Lincolnshire, the Unibet Same Race Multi Summer Handicap Hurdle.
Understudy had to settle for second in the Ribblesdale but can go one place better in the Ric And Mary Hambro Aphrodite Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket, while Per Contra can put a recent lacklustre effort behind him in the Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap at the Yorkshire track.
SELECTIONS:
CARTMEL: 1.40 Sang Pour Sang, 2.15 Jlow, 2.50 Ashington, 3.22 Go Go Chicago,
4.00 Beny Nahar Road, 4.35 Bumpy Evans, 5.10 Rory's Story.
CURRAGH: 1.30 Action, 2.00 Fort Vega, 2.35 True Love, 3.05 Mgheera, 3.40 Minnie
Hauk, 4.15 Queenstown, 4.50 Gavoo, 5.25 Shelbiana.
DONCASTER: 5.15 Kings Crown, 5.45 Parisian Scholar, 6.15 Original Thinker, 6.45
Travis, 7.15 Gentle Warrior, 7.45 Rock Diva, 8.15 Grand Traverse, 8.45
Analogical.
HAYDOCK: 6.25 Solanna, 6.55 King Of The Sea, 7.30 Midnight Rodeo, 8.00 Kiniro,
8.30 Bright Times Ahead, 9.00 Alpine Girl.
MARKET RASEN: 1.35 Laravie, 2.05 Benvoy, 2.40 Goblet Of Fire, 3.12 Horantzau
D'Airy, 3.50 Rocks Up Late, 4.25 Bellbird, 5.00 A Dublin Job.
NEWBURY: 1.50 Rashabar, 2.25 Wild Waves, 2.57 REGIONAL (NAP), 3.30
Kamakameleon, 4.10 Wujjood, 4.45 Egoli, 5.20 Maybe Not.
NEWMARKET: 4.20 First Duty, 4.55 Understudy, 5.30 Sweet Fantastic, 6.00
Arundel, 6.35 Renesmee, 7.05 Dashing Dick, 7.38 Dutch Decoy.
RIPON: 2.10 Moretons, 2.45 Goyard, 3.17 Real Terms, 3.55 Per Contra, 4.30
Garden Oasis, 5.05 Groundhog, 5.38 Spring Corn.
DOUBLE: Regional and Horantzau D'Airy.