Mark Rowntree's Wednesday tips: "this promises to suit"

It took a while for Fastidyah to grasp what was required before staying on into fourth in an above-average 1m fillies’ novice here last month.

The €50,000 Cracksman foal was an unconsidered 33-1 outsider there, but that form has already been boosted by Roku Nana (third) and Lily Pink (fifth), and Michael Bell’s juvenile should relish stepping up in trip now to 1m2f.

The Godolphin newcomer Henrik Ibsen has a nice mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree, while Charlie Johnston’s Skylar is also respected.

Jet Of Stars, a £230,000 purchase, justified strong market support, making a striking rules debut at Ayr (bumper) in March, the five-year-old a fine prospect.

Lucinda Russell’s charge now switches to hurdles, in receipt of weight from the doubly penalised Gambino (OR 119), and Fergal O’Brien’s 2m4f Uttoxeter scorer Chicker.

His trainer saddled the winner of this race in 2022, and 2025, with this representing the starting point over hurdles for one who could potentially become a player at Cheltenham or Aintree later in the season. 

A good-quality early season novice. Willie Mullins won this last year with Davy Crockett, so you’d have to respect the chance of Columbus as he bids to build on his all-the-way Galway maiden win. However, Martin Brassil’s Bartholomew should strip fitter for his Flat comeback run at Gowran Park and is expected to resume his progress over hurdles.

The four-year-old is rated 25lb-plus inferior to the Mullins runner on the Flat, but the winter game is a whole different discipline, his jumps mark already in the 140s.

His Cork maiden win (in a first-time tongue-tie) was a clearcut one, and he stepped forward next time when runner-up to Saratoga in the Grade One Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Andrew Balding’s St Mark’s Basilica filly is the second foal from an unraced dam who was a half-sister to the 6f Group Three winner Chil Chil.

There was plenty to like about her opening effort on the July Course at Newmarket (7f), when third to the odds-on favourite Beguiled.

That winner going onto contest the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster next time. She seemed to lack a combination of nous and physical strength inside the final furlong there, so dropping back to 6f promises to suit in what isn’t an overly strong novice for this Sunbury-on-Thames venue.