Sunday's horse racing selections: Foxtrot can step out to victory

It seems counter-intuitive to say a Listed prize appears an easier task than a handicap, but that certainly looks the case for Foxtrot Lady at Pontefract.

Andrew Balding’s charge contests the EBF Stallions Highfield Farm Flying Fillies’ Stakes at the Yorkshire venue and while she faces some worthy rivals, it does not look anywhere near as hot as her most recent start at Goodwood.

Pitched into the Stewards’ Cup under a 6lb penalty, Foxtrot Lady was sent off favourite for the six-furlong prize, but she bumped into the literal Group-class horse in handicap company, Gifted Master.

Beaten two and a quarter lengths in sixth there after lacking a bit of pace when it was really needed, that effort was certainly another leap forward from her previous Newmarket success and she now boasts a mark of 102.

Given she won off a perch of 80 at Chester back in May, Foxtrot Lady has made relentless progress this term and this race seems an excellent opportunity to add a little black type to her page.

Georgian Manor bounced back from a disappointing penultimate run to win at Doncaster and he will surely be involved in the finish of the William Hill Handicap.

His Newmarket defeat in June looked too bad to be true and that impression was confirmed when he powered home by three-quarters of a length on Town Moor last month.

Georgian Manor kept on well that day to take it up with only 50 yards or so to run, so he was perhaps a bit better value than the official margin suggests.

Dagueneau can make a swift reappearance pay dividends in the Moor Top Farm Shop Hemsworth Handicap.

Ed Dunlop’s runner is sure to take a hammering from the handicapper after winning by six lengths at Beverley on Thursday, seemingly thriving for the step up to two miles.

He turns out again over a furlong further here and while he must shoulder a 6lb penalty, Dagueneau is surely on a more favourable mark than he will be after he is reassessed.

Hargam was a classy act in his younger days, counting third place in the 2015 Triumph Hurdle among his better performances, but he has not really gone on to the expected heights.

Switched to John Quinn from Nicky Henderson at the end of last year, it looked as though not even a change of scenery could spark a renaissance for Hargam.

However, racing off a mark of 115 on his sixth start over fences, Hargam finally came good again at Warwick in May.

Good ground is perhaps the key to this horse and while he has been hiked 7lb in the ratings in the interim, he still looks very well treated indeed in Southwell’s inspireracingclub.co.uk Handicap Chase given he was once a 157-rated performer.

Zebi Boy can bring up his four-timer in the Ambitions Personnel Handicap Hurdle.

He has triumphed at Uttoxeter on each of his last three starts and should be just as capable at the Nottinghamshire venue.

SELECTIONS

PONTEFRACT: 2.00 Hard Solution, 2.30 Arrowtown, 3.05 Dagueneau, 3.35 FOXTROT LADY (NAP), 4.05 Georgian Manor, 4.40 Move In Faster, 5.10 Power To Exceed.

SOUTHWELL: 2.20 Foundation Man, 2.50 One For Billy, 3.25 Hargam, 3.55 Zebi Boy, 4.25 Walk Waterford, 5.00 Box Office, 5.30 Blackdown Hills.

TRAMORE: 2.10 Sweet Flight, 2.40 Wild Desire, 3.15 Zaofu, 3.45 Osco Mosco, 4.15 Theatre Dreams, 4.50 Native Lass, 5.20 Ranger P.