NOSEY NATIVE, who returned to form on soft ground at Haydock last time, can follow up under altogether different conditions in Leicester's Manny Bernstein In Running Handicap today.
Jeff Pearce's three year old failed to get his head in front on his first 12 starts of the campaign, and put regular partner Lydia Pearce in hospital on the last of them, falling a mile from the finish and firing his rider onto the ground.
"It was decided to run Nosey Native in a race for professional rather than amateur jockeys at the beginning of the month, and the move paid off in no uncertain manner.
Starting at 16 to 1 for an 15 runner handicap, the bay was pushed along in rear by apprentice Mark Baird as Melt The Clouds set a strong pace. However, he started to warm to his task three from home, took up the running passing the furlong marker and was soon clear, beating that rival by an emphatic eight lengths at the line.
There is no doubt Nosey Native was suited by the run of the race, and the fast ground at Leicester today will be in stark contrast to the soft surface he encountered at Haydock.
He has been successful on top of the ground before, however, and Nosey Native is napped to win again.
Henry Cecil has an enviable record at Leicester and the Warren Place trainer may land a double, courtesy of Questonia and River Usk.
River Usk can initiate the brace with a win in the Manny Bernstein Racing Conditions Stakes. A full brother to Tenby, who won York's Dante Stakes before being sent off the odds on favourite for the 1993 Derby, River Usk made a pleasing debut when winning a 12 runner maiden at Haydock, beating Farham by a neck despite running green. He is sure to have benefited from that outing and can maintain his unbeaten record.
Questonia should prove too strong for four rivals in the Manny Bernstein Double Result Fillies' Conditions Stakes. She ran a fine fourth to Fatefuilly (winner since) in a Listed race on Frankie Dettori day at Ascot last month and a reproduction of that effort would see her go very close.
At Sedgefield, Mary Reveley's hat trick seeking Notable Exception will be very hard to beat in the Red Onion Handicap Hurdle.
. John Gosden, having taken France by storm in the last 10 days, will be hoping to maintain his winning gallic ways with Inquisitor (Frankie Dettori) in the £18,445 Listed Prix Niceas (10f) at Fontainebleau today.
