'There's a lot of positives for him' - key quotes and analysis for Racing League handicap

There is often value to be found in the sales ring with Godolphin cast-offs and Ian Williams might have identified some with Parlando on the evidence of the four-year-old’s encouraging third at Newmarket 19 days ago. Whether that run, which came after a 549-day absence, leaves a mark could be the key question in this Racing League handicap.

Williams forked out £105,000 to snap up the gelded son of Dubawi, whose dam went off a 10-1 chance for the 2012 1,000 Guineas, and early indications are the money could be well spent.

Parlando almost went a perfect two from two for Charlie Appleby before joining Williams and deserves marking up for his belated stable debut. The first two home were prominent throughout and Parlando fared best of the held-up runners. Making up ground from well off the speed on the July course can be difficult. 

He returns off an unchanged mark of 85, so appeals as the right favourite given his unexposed profile and capacity for progression.

If the market has that right, its early assessment of outsider Mostawaa’s chance is all wrong. This course-and-distance winner attempted to make all in a 1m2f handicap at Windsor a fortnight ago but faded into seventh after failing to stay.

That form took three significant boosts at York’s Ebor meeting last week. Winner Spirit Dancer plundered the Group 3 Strensall Stakes, third Tregony was an unlucky half-length third in the Listed Galtres Stakes after meeting trouble in running and eighth Reach landed a nine-runner fillies’ handicap on Nunthorpe day.

You can bank on this front-runner recapturing the form that saw him land three consecutive handicaps from May to June on his second run back from a short break, now returned to his optimum mile trip.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Daniel Kubler, joint-trainer of Helm Rock
It looks a strong race but he's won on the all-weather and it's a good prize so it's worth a shot. He ran at Yarmouth and the seven furlongs was a bit sharp for him, while I don't think he ran a bad race last time at Haydock when he was a little bit wide. That race looked quite good and this is a slight drop in grade so we'll give it a go.

Ian Williams, trainer of Parlando
He ran nicely after a long time off at Newmarket last time and that was only his third start so he looks exciting. Any progress from that race would see him go well here. He's run well on the all-weather before and there's a lot of positives for him.

Heather Main, trainer of Mostawaa
He won over the course and distance as a two-year-old and it should still suit him well. The tactics are straightforward with him, we'll go out in front again, but I felt last time we probably needed to set a stronger pace at Windsor. He's back over a mile and has had a good year already so hopefully he'll run well.

Stuart Williams, trainer of Wyvern
He ran a particularly poor race last time and I'm not sure why, so he'll need to bounce back to be competitive in this. The form of his run at Chelmsford before that would have him right there.
Reporting by James Stevens

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