Tiara has class to sparkle back in a handicap

Pandora has seemingly improved for a switch of stable and the fitting of a hood 4.20 York

After making a winning debut last season followed by a third in the Musidora at this track behind two subsequent Group 1 winners, the future looked exceedingly bright for Pandora. However, the wheels abruptly came off and she suffered heavy defeats on her next three starts, including her first for David O’Meara on her reappearance at Ascot in May. The drop back to a mile might not have suited her there and she left the effort well behind stepped back up to 1m2½f in a hood here next time. Despite losing ground at the start, she kept on best of all to get up close home.

The daughter of Galileo again blew the start stepped up to Listed company back here last time. On that occasion the leaders didn’t come back, but she again stuck on nicely to be beaten just over five lengths in third behind two highly progressive three-year-olds. The runner-up did her bit for the form when subsequently winning at Newmarket, where she had Abingdon (likely favourite here) in second. That suggests Pandora doesn’t have a great deal to find.

She has an extremely similar profile to Amazing Maria, who went off the boil for the same owner after showing early promise for another stable but took her form to a completely different level not long after being switched to O’Meara, winning two Group 1s.

It’s asking a lot for the trainer to repeat the feat 12 months later, but Pandora remains unexposed, she clearly likes it here and is well worth another crack at 1m4f given how she has finished her last two races.

Opal Tiara has another crack at a handicap but with conditions in her favour this time 4.55 York

Mick Channon’s filly bombed out on her handicap debut at Royal Ascot three starts ago, but the soft ground was completely against her, the mile trip probably stretches her and she was hampered to boot. Indeed, it took her only a week to show that 17th place to be all wrong as she readily won a Listed race back at 7f on fast ground at Carlisle, beating into second the highly progressive Red Box, who won her next two starts, including a Listed race at Ascot.

On the face of it, Opal Tiara was disappointing when seventh stepped up to Group 3 company at Glorious Goodwood on her next start. However, there were again extenuating circumstances, as she failed to find cover after starting from the outside stall of 11 and actually did fairly well to plug on.

The daughter of Thousand Words has been campaigned like a good filly and is clearly better than a handicapper (finished third in the Group 2 May Hill last season), but presumably connections couldn’t pass up the chance of winning a decent pot off a mark of 95 with ground and trip ideal.

Lat Hawill looked unfortunate not to score in a first-time visor on his latest start 3.05 York

The fitting of headgear for the first time at Haydock last time clearly had the desired effect on the inconsistent Lat Hawill, who began to move into contention going strongly, only to be buffeted about and lose mometum. To his credit, Keith Dalgleish’s gelding rallied well to lead before the final furlong but was mugged close home by old rival Treasury Notes, a progressive sort who had narrowly beaten him at Ripon in June. It was an excellent run from Lat Hawill under a big weight, probably his best since returning to Britain from Ireland early in the year.

Two wins from 17 starts is a poor return for one of his abilty and his early promise meant he started from a tough mark in handicaps. However, that latest effort strongly suggests he has one in him off a rating in the 90s if the headgear works a second time and he is well suited by fast ground.