Brilliant run by Beccara Rose last night at Sandown. With a furlong to go I thought she had it. Sadly she got tired, and two horses from off the pace came to catch her.

Shame, still searching for a winner after my return. Dartman faded away rapidly from two furlongs out.

…….

4.00 Brighton: Class 4 Handicap, 6f

Better ground and a drop in trip should do the trick for lightly raced Captain Cuddles.

This race looks probably a little bit easier, although the same grade, as when he caught the eye a few weeks ago at Ascot.

That day he tracked the hot pace before he made good progress from three furlongs out to move into the lead eventually as the front-runner faded away.

He wasn’t able to sustain the effort but good third and only one in the mix late from those tracking the pace. Winner and runner-up came from well off the pace, instead.

He remains a lightly raced 3-year-old with scope for improvement off 80. I feel the drop in trip can only be a positive, as he may not quite got home over 7 furlongs at Ascot, especially with cut in the ground.

Captain Cuddles is a 6f winner on fast ground as a juvenile, and has only been seen three times since, including this latest return to form. The 5lb claim of solid apprentice Alec Voikhansky can only be a bonus today.

10pts win – Captain Cuddles @ 9/2