Dunlop hopes problems are behind Verdon ahead of Kempton run

6.40 Kempton

32red Wild Flower Stakes (Listed Race) 3yo+ | 1m3f219y AW

Red Verdon proved himself capable in Group 1 company as a three-year-old but has found life tougher during an interrupted campaign this time around.

Ronnie Arculi's four-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid has shown on his last two all-weather starts that he remains up for a fight and Ed Dunlop hopes to sign off for the year with a win so he can go back to planning bigger targets for Red Verdon in 2018.

"He has various issues but was arguably unlucky in his last run," said Dunlop. "He is well and he has got a better draw than last time but, for a Listed race, it is pretty trappy.

"He stays in training and this will probably be his last run of the year before we put him away and start planning for him to go back up the ladder next year."

Can classy Mountain Bell show her best on Polytrack?

Ralph Beckett will have been looking forward to an ambitious campaign for Mountain Bell, who rounded off 2016 when beaten only a neck in the St Simon Stakes at Newbury.

Much of his planning was derailed when Mountain Bell cracked a pelvis in the spring but Beckett was able to get her back on track for the St Simon, where she was a decent fourth to Best Solution.

"She is in good form and I think she has progressed for her comeback," said Beckett. "As long as she acts on the surface she should get involved."

Can either of the two three-year-olds make a mark?

In the ten previous editions of this race the Classic generation have struck five times, a fact not lost on either John Gosden or Roger Varian, who provided the only two three-year-olds in the line-up.

Gosden saddles Astronony's Choice, who did not seem to handle the soft ground at Saint-Cloud, and whose older stablemate Western Hymn must saddle a 5lb penalty for his win in the Ormonde Stakes.

Varian relies on Great Court, who carries the second colours of Qatar Racing and has Jack Mitchell aboard.

"These conditions suit her well and she improved a chunk on her best form when comfortably winning a competitive Wolverhampton handicap last time," said Varian.

"If she can continue on that sort of upward curve, she would be no forlorn hope of achieving black type."

Conditions set to suit as Gino hits the Trail at Wetherby

Gino Trail and Jamie Moore face three rivals in the feature 2m chase at Wetherby on WednesdayCredit: Grossick Racing Photography 0771

Course officials might have hoped for a few more than four runners when putting up £10,000 for the Bet at Racing UK Handicap (2.00) but they have got an intriguing contest and, in the shape of Gino Trail, a horse whose form ties in closely with some of last season's most exciting novices over fences.

Kerry Lee felt no fear in sending him for the Haldon Gold Cup and was rewarded with a third-place effort, with Gino Trail finishing in front of Garde La Victoire and Vibrato Valtat.

"He was always going to need it first time out but he ran a very creditable race in the Haldon," said Lee.

"He came down 2lb for that which puts him on top weight in a 0-140 and I think Wetherby will suit him and he will get soft ground, whereas it's a dry forecast ahead of Newbury on Saturday."

Vaughan looking to get in the Deauville driving seat with Prost

Four British-trained runners feature among the 16 horses to face the starter in the Listed Prix Lyphard at Deauville (2.05), a fast-track qualifier for the Betway Easter Classic on All-Weather Finals Day at Lingfield.

Ed Vaughan sends Prost back to the scene of his maiden success last December, having won last time out at Newcastle.

"I had him ready for the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot but he missed the cut and hadn't been working well through the summer," said Vaughan. "But he started to really come into himself before Newcastle, so we were expecting a big run."

Also making the trip across to Normandy are Bareeq for Mark Johnston, the David Menuisier-trained Sinfonietta and John Gosden's Utmost, while German Derby fifth Promise of Peace looks interesting back in trip and on his all-weather debut.

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