HORSE feed costs a pretty packet these days, but the owners of Karminskey Park cannot complain because she has been earning her corn with a string of consistent performances so far this term.

Opportunities to top up the kitty have been rare over the past five weeks due to the prevailing fast ground.

However, underfoot conditions have eased considerably for this afternoon's meeting at Hamilton, which should suit Karminskey Park (3.15) in the day's most valuable contest, the £12,500 Tote Exacta Stakes.

Never once out of the first four on her last six outings, Tim Etherington's raider showed a liking for a soft surface when holding the late charge of Lady Protector at Newcastle on May 22nd.

Since that success the summer sunshine has arrived in spades, baking the ground to such a degree that conditions have generally been unsuitably fast for the selection.

Fortunately that situation is now "all change" with rain affecting most of the UK over the past 48 hours, including the Scottish venue where Karminskey Park is sure to relish getting her toe in the turf for the six furlong cavalry charge.

Derek Shaw's stable went for an eternity without a winner over the winter and early spring, however, things have picked up nicely lately thanks to the likes of Oases, an impressive course and distance scorer the time before last.

Shaw's Midlands-based gelding then took another trip north of the Border to Ayr only to suffer a heart-breaking short-head defeat at the hands of Fantasy Believer.

Considering the latter was a fantastically well-handicapped individual, it was still a brilliant effort and Oases is fancied to bounce-back in the Bobby Jones Classified Stakes.

Richard Fahey, on the mark in the big race at Pontefract yesterday with Amused, should be in the money once again courtesy of Cyclonic Storm (4.45) in the closing nine furlong Tote Bookmakers Handicap.

Fahey isn't letting the grass grow under Cyclonic Storm's feet, the four-year-old turning out just five days after finishing a creditable runner-up at Carlisle.

Such a short space of time between races doesn't always suit, although that remark is not relevant to Cyclonic Storm, who is a really robust type. After a period without any genuine Group 1 performers, veteran Newmarket handler Clive Brittain has emerged from the shadows this season with Warrsan, who has put his trainer back in the limelight with successive victories in the Yorkshire Cup and Coronation Cup.

Brighton-bound Literacy (3.30) isn't in that league, nonetheless she's from a high-class family and showed her rivals little mercy when romping home at Warwick ten days ago.

Bred to get better with age, Clive has found Literacy a great chance of following up in the University of Sussex Sports Handicap.

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