DEAR LIFE can take advantage of a lenient mark to register her fourth victory of 1996 in the NGK Spark Plug Rated Stakes at Newmarket today.
Julie Cecil's Lear Fan filly has been in excellent form during the summer, winning three races and finishing out of the money just three times in nine starts.
The bay was successful in handicaps at Lingfield in June and Carlisle in August and has continued to run well despite taking a rise in the weights.
On her penultimate start, in a £13,000 handicap at York, Dear Life performed with plenty of credit to finish third to Lord Huntingdon's Arabian Story, keeping on to be beaten four and a half lengths at the line.
The chances are that the York race was a hot one, as the three year old ran out the comfortable winner of a similar event at Epsom last time out.
Sent off the 9 to 2 second choice in a field of 13, Dear Life was sent to the front by talented apprentice Martin Dwyer with three furlongs remaining.
Soon after she was beyond recall and eventually came home three and a half lengths to the good of Shining Dancer.
She looked to have more in the locker that day and is confidently expected to defy an 8lb rise in the handicap.
Of her rivals Luca Cumani's Spillo, successful over a mile and a half at Doncaster last time out, should give her most to do.
Dazzle will be at short odds to maintain her unbeaten record in the day's feature, the Group One Shadwell Stud Cheveley Park Stakes.
Michael Stoute's Gone West filly had clearly been showing plenty at home before her debut, as she was sent off the 7 to 2 favourite for Royal Ascot's Windsor Castle Stakes.
Although she looked a bit of a handful in the paddock beforehand, there was no disputing the promise of her performance on the track.
Held up after a tardy start, she swept through to lead inside the final furlong and quickly put two and a half lengths between herself and Vax Star.
She was even more impressive in the Group Two Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket's July Meeting.
Never far away under Kieren Fallon, she quickened to the front passing the quarter mile pole and shot clear, passing the post five lengths in advance of Ocean Ridge.
A total of 12 weeks have passed since that victory but Stoute is sure to have kept her ticking over.
There is plenty of improvement to come, and Dazzle can enhance her claims for next years 1,000 Guineas with a win.
David Loder's progressive Abou Zouz looks a solid bet for the Tattersalls Houghton Sales Conditions Stakes, while Gavin Faulkner and White Plains should prove a potent force in the Shadwell Stud Apprentice Series Final.
. Nicholashayne trainer Martin Pipe will bide his time before choosing a replacement for David Bridgwater who sensationally quit as the yard's retained jockey on Sunday night.
The champion trainer yesterday admitted that Bridgwater's decision to sever his ties to go freelance came as a "total shock". Pipe revealed although he now plans to offer rides to defending champion jockey Tony McCoy as well as using Chris Maude, who had been acting as the yard's back up to Bridgwater, he was in no hurry to find a replacement.
"When and if it does arise that we get someone else we'll let everyone know," he said. "There's no rush to get anyone else as the majority of my better horses won't be running until we get the softer ground in November. If the likes of Tony McCoy are available for Exeter and Taunton this week then we'll use them."
Pipe suggested Bridgwater's split has handed the jump jockeys' championship on a plate to McCoy. Tony McCoy should be very pleased," he commented.
The trainer revealed how Bridgwater dropped his bombshell. "It was a total surprise. He phoned me at 5.45 last night on the way back from Newton Abbot and that was the first I'd heard of it," Pipe said.
Earlier speaking on his phoneline with his assistant Chester Barnes, Pipe denied that there was any rift between Bridgwater and himself. "You haven't fallen out with him'?" asked Barnes. "Not to my knowledge," replied Pipe. "Perhaps he's got a lot more rides lined up, who knows?"
