Singeur has heart to clinch Beverley win, says Bastiman

The likeable nine-year-old succumbed by just a length to Avon Breeze in the five-furlong dash 12 months ago and is back for another go on ‘The Big Saturday Raceday’.

Wetherby-based trainer Rebecca Bastiman said: “He just got chinned on the stands’ side last year, which was a bit unlucky.

“The ground was good that day, and hopefully if it’s something similar I’d be quite hopeful he’d have a bit of a chance.

“Singeur not really had much luck this year, but he’s never really had his ground and it was too soft for him at York on his last start.

“He’s in good form, though, and is on a good mark these days. He also did a nice piece of work (on Thursday morning).

“I think he’s still got the heart and the appetite for the battle.”

Bastiman also saddles John Caesar in the C.G.I. Handicap over eight and a half furlongs.

The five-year-old gelding has not yet won on turf but he turned in an encouraging display at Beverley on June 14, when second to Hydrant over a mile and a quarter.

Bastiman said: “He doesn’t win often, but he’s quite consistent and he clearly enjoys running up that hill at Beverley.”

Always the biggest Saturday of the year at the popular East Yorkshire venue, gates open 11.30am.

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston’s Fireglow – an excellent fourth behind Minding in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket – brings Classic form to today’s bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.

She subsequently chased home So Mi Dar in the Musidora Stakes at York and although unable to make an impact in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, assistant trainer Charlie Johnston feels she will benefit from stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time.

He said: “We’re sort of reverting to what we were expecting her to be doing in the spring.

“After winning a Listed race in soft ground as a two-year-old, we were thinking she’d be going a mile and a quarter and a mile and half this season, but then she ran such a good race in the Guineas we were keen to give another go in a Group One at a mile.

“She just didn’t have the speed of those fillies at Ascot, so we’re stepping her up now and we’ll see how we go.

“It is a big jump up in trip, but from what she showed as a two-year-old and the way she is physically, we’d be relatively confident she’ll stay. On form she’s probably the best filly in the race, so hopefully she’ll go close.”

Charlie Appleby hopes Hawkbill’s supplementary entry in today’s Group One Coral-Eclipse at Sandown will pay off.

The horse recorded a fifth consecutive win when landing Royal Ascot’s Tercentenary Stakes under William Buick.

“He has come out of Ascot very well. We just felt that while the conditions are like they are, he deserved to have a go,” said Appleby. “Most importantly he seems to be improving with each run.”