Will Angel Bleu's class count? Keith Melrose examines the key runners in the Lady Wulfruna Stakes

Timings would suggest that the Lady Wulfrina could be an ideal stepping stone to the Mile Championship on All-Weather Championships finals day, but it rarely works out like that. Last year's most successful runner, Highfield Princess, went on to be champion sprinter, but that is hardly typical either.

For the most part, this is a launchpad to early-season minor Pattern races at around a mile. That would be a lower aim than Angel Bleu's connections would have had at this time last year, when he went off 11-4 for the Greenham and finished third to Perfect Power.

Angel Bleu may have been in over his head on both subsequent starts, which were in the St James's Palace and Sussex Stakes. He starts his 2023 recovery mission in much calmer waters and without any penalties despite being a dual Group 1 winner at two.

Dhabab is also on the comeback trail having cut it with top juveniles in 2021. He missed a year after finishing fifth in Native Trail's Dewhurst, and then put up a career-best effort to win a Lingfield handicap from a mark of 103 on last year's belated return. He possibly failed to stay a mile next time and has been off since.

Either of those two, or Irish raider Harry's Bar, recapturing their best would better what Tinker Toy showed in winning this race 12 months ago. That horse returns and has possibly had this race in mind all winter, but he has not run to within half a stone of last year's Racing Post Rating and so he, like the others, requires a leap of faith and does not have quite the same reserves of class to call upon.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

'He goes there with a hell of a chance'

Tinker Toy bids to become the first horse since Dunelight in 2010 and 2011 to register back-to-back wins in the annual feature at Dunstall Park following his smooth win under today’s jockey Jack Mitchell a year ago.

The injury-prone six-year-old comes into the race from a different angle to 2022 having dipped his toe into the sprinting division on his last two starts and looks sure to be suited by the return to seven furlongs.

Trainer Roger Varian is bullish about his chances of a follow-up, saying: "I think he goes there with a hell of a chance. Unlike many in the field he’s racefit and won the race last year. We experimented by running him over six furlongs over the winter, but he met with interference both times and didn’t run badly in the circumstances."

Tinker Toy: winner of this race 12 months agoCredit: Jonathan Hipkiss

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Angel Bleu
He has been in training all winter and the intention was always to start him off here. This is not a prep for the All-Weather Championships finals but it is a prep for the rest of the year.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Dhabab
He’s always been a talented horse and won nicely over this trip at Lingfield on his first time back. He then ran a solid race over a mile at Kempton next time, but we think this drop back to seven furlongs should suit him better.

Ado McGuinness, trainer of Harry’s Bar and Hodd’s Girl
There are not a lot of opportunities for Harry’s Bar in Ireland at this time of the year and he is a real all-weather specialist, so we have to travel. The horse is in great order and I think the seven furlongs around Wolverhampton will suit. I would not be sure on a straight seven, but going seven around a bend should play to his strengths. We are trying to sneak a bit of black type with Hodd’s Girl. She has not stopped improving since she came to us and her work is very good. I would not be surprised if she was able to make the frame.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Vadream
We were delighted with how she ran at Lingfield last time despite the race not being run to suit her when she hit the line strong. There is a lot of improvement to come and she should run a nice race with an eye to running her on All-Weather Championships day.
Reporting by David Milnes

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