Turf Talk: Great and Small expeted to relish step up in trip

Great And Small should appreciate the step up in trip as she tackles the TRM Invest In Calphormin Fillies' Handicap at Newmarket.
Andrew BaldingAndrew Balding
Andrew Balding

As a half-sister to Ascot Gold Cup winner Fame And Glory, it is hardly surprising that this Galileo filly has only really started to come into her own since being stepped up to a mile and a half.

She finished well down the field on her only juvenile start over a mile last December and again found her rivals far too speedy when tried over 10 furlongs at Salisbury on her return in June.

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Andrew Balding opted to take the jump up to 12 furlongs last time though and despite looking a bit green in the early stages, she stayed on from last place to take a head victory in what was a very taking performance.

Her rider took a fair while to pull her up that day so clearly an extra furlong here will not be an issue and she looks the kind of filly who will thrive over real staying trips in the future.

Vanity Queen is the pick in the TRM GNF (Gut Nutrition Formula) Nursery Handicap after overcoming her inexperience to win at Nottingham last time out.

Entered in the Fillies’ Mile, the Fastnet Rock filly showed she will at least stay that trip when running out a half-length victor on what was just her second start.

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Kept to that trip here and tried at handicap level, Luca Cumani appears to have found another winning opportunity.

Magical Effect can mark himself as a lively contender for next month’s Western meeting at Ayr by landing the Theakston Lightfoot Handicap at Thirsk. His current rating of 77 would see him struggle to make the Ayr Gold Cup itself, but Ruth Carr has a few weeks to get to work on that issue, starting with this six-furlong affair.

Formerly with Charlie Appleby, Magical Effect finished no worse than fourth in three starts last year but having shown little star quality, he was shipped out of the Godolphin team for just £10,000 at the end of last term.

SOBOT’S SELECTIONS

GOODWOOD: 5.00 Essaka, 5.35 Envisaging, 6.05 Seafarer, 6.40 Tyrell, 7.10 Laugh Aloud, 7.45 Baltic Prince.

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HAMILTON: 5.20 Tawny Port, 5.55 Now Children, 6.25 Galilee Chapel, 6.55 Rose Eclair, 7.25 Lord Yeats, 8.00 Indastar.

NEWCASTLE: 4.15 Sugar Town, 4.50 Kroy, 5.25 Cape Crystal, 6.00 Thackeray, 6.30 The Perfect Show, 7.00 Fray, 7.35 Deansgate.

NEWMARKET: 2.00 Alnasl, 2.35 Vanity Queen (treble), 3.10 Elucidation, 3.45 Exoteric, 4.20 Chiefofchiefs, 4.55 Great And Small (next best), 5.30 Nisser.

THIRSK: 1.50 Amy Gardner, 2.20 Showtime Lady, 2.55 Jaarih, 3.30 Frederic, 4.05 MAGICAL EFFECT (NAP), 4.40 Yosemite, 5.15 Run To The Hills, 5.50 Ubla.