Top-class Bailey can blaze a trail at Wincanton (From The Northern Echo)

Top-class Bailey can blaze a trail at Wincanton

9:56am Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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BLAZING BAILEY took a while to open his account over fences but now he has a win under his belt he can go on to bigger and better things – starting at Wincanton.

The Scottish National has been mentioned as a possible target for the former top-class staying hurdler while he also holds an entry in the bet365 Gold Cup.

Admittedly, the higos.co.uk Novices’ Chase is some way short of those kind of contests, but it does provide an excellent opportunity for Blazing Bailey to polish his fencing a little more.

His jumping was far from flawless when winning at Leicester earlier this month but Alan King will no doubt have done a little more work on the schooling grounds since and it will be disappointing if he is not more than good enough for this.

Middleton Dene is another who promised much over hurdles but he is still to strike gold over fences, something he can put right in the Jools Holland/ Alison Moyet 3rd July Beginners’ Chase at Carlisle.

He won four on the bounce over the smaller obstacles for Nicky Richards back in 2007 but then seemed to lose his way and has not been on the scoresheet since October that year.

Switched to the care of former rider Rose Dobbin for this season, Middleton Dene proved massively disappointing on his fencing debut at this track before showing improved form at Sedgefield last time.

Beaten two and a quarter lengths by the well-regarded Riguez Dancer on heavy ground that day, he should thrive on a sounder surface and looks a winner in waiting.

Frognal can make a dream start for new handler Ruth Carr with victory in the Southwell Racecourse For Conferences Handicap at the Nottinghamshire venue.

The four-year-old plied his trade with some success for Brian Meehan before changing hands for 20,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Sales last autumn.

A winner on the Kempton allweather as a juvenile, he picked up some decent place money in sales races at two but could not quite recapture his winning form last term.

Frognal did not return to action until August last year but after a lacklustre reappearance he gradually improved, culminating in a third place finish in a competitive Newmarket handicap.

He was not beaten far that day and certainly ran as though a drop back to six furlongs would suit.

Although Frognal has proven himself on the all-weather before, there is obviously something of a question mark over his fitness as he returns from 146 days off the track.

However, as he is the least exposed of these runners, he appeals as a potential dark horse.

Privy Speech comes from a good family and while she did not exactly set the world on fire on her sole juvenile start, she is still worth a shot in the Membership of Southwell Golf Club Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

Third at Southwell on a slightly slower surface before Christmas, she will have learned plenty from the outing.