PHOENIX CAN RISE TO OCCASION

LONDON: Punters looking to gather ammunition for the upcoming York meeting could do worse than check out Forever Phoenix at Nottingham today. There are some familiar sprinters in the five-furlong Weatherbys Bank Conditions Stakes, and Forever Phoenix looks the best of them. Controversially left at the start in the Temple Stakes at Epsom earlier this season, she equipped herself well when racing in Listed company at Ayr last month, where she found Airwave just too good on the day. She also ran a fine race in the ultra-competitive Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint at Ascot last month, where she was beaten by only a length into third place behind Baltic King. Forever Phoenix undoubtedly likes five furlongs, and has already run well on the track earlier this term. She has her sights lowered for this, and has every chance of registering the sixth victory of  her career.

Elsewhere on the programme, Clive Brittain’s Dami looks very hard to oppose in the Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Handicap over ten furlongs. The recent Epsom winner has been steadily improving in each of her races, but had to dig deep for both her recent victories. She is a likeable sort and ten furlongs is right up her street. This is a lower-grade contest, too, and she looks sure to put in another good performance. Windsor stages its penultimate Monday evening meeting of the summer, and Desert Cristal has an excellent chance in the Royal Windsor Fillies’ Rated Stakes. Jim Boyle’s filly is on a roll at the moment, having won on the turf at Lingfield over seven furlongs at the end of last month. Despite not being suited by the undulations of the Surrey track, she plugged on well to score under Frankie Dettori.

That win came on a good to firm surface, but she also has some useful runs behind her on softer going, which will be a help given an unpredictable forecast The flatter track at Windsor - where she has run well before - is tailor-made for her. The Queen is represented by Benedict in the European Breeders Fund Maiden Stakes. The Benny The Dip colt, who holds an entry for next year’s Vodafone Derby, is a half-brother to the useful Right Approach - also owned by the Queen in his younger days - and has the right credentials. Right Approach won over seven furlongs as a two-year-old and went on to achieve Group One glory at the age of four, and there is every chance his half-brother could get his career off to a flying start today.

SELECTIONS: BRIGHTON: 9.30 Asian Tiger, 10.00 Waltzing Beau, 10.30 
Alaared, 11.00 Yorkie, 11.30 Fascination Street, 12.00 Adobe.
NOTTINGHAM: 9.15 Tara Tara, 9.45 Star Duster, 10.15 FOREVER PHOENIX (NAP), 10.45 Dami, 11.15 In The Fan, 11.45 Artistic Style.
WINDSOR: 12.40 Benedict, 1.10 Skyharbor, 1.40 Onlytime Will Tell, 2.10 Desert Cristal, 2.40 Dream Alive, 3.10 Brave Dane.
YARMOUTH: 12.25 Regina, 12.55 Goldhill Prince, 1.25 Queenstown, 1.55 Sennen Cove, 2.25 Gift Voucher, 2.55 Sunday City. 
DOUBLE: Forever Phoenix and Dami.