Caxton Lad can begin to make up for lost time with a win at Ascot today. He should belatedly confirm himself a very useful young sprinter by taking the £30,000added Doubleprint Stakes.
Training problems have prevented the colt`s fulfilling the abundant promise he showed as a two-year-old last season when he romped to victory in nurseries at Haydock and Southwell, showing blistering speed each time.
An immature bone condition kept him on the sidelines throughout the first twothirds of this campaign, delaying his reappearance until last month.
But Caxton Lad shaped highly encouragingly on that return to action and looks set to reward his long-suffering trainer Peter Makin`s patience.
He showed he had lost none of his early pace as he led 18 race-fit rivals a merry dance in a very competitive five-furlong handicap here, only to weaken out of the places in the final 300 yards as lack of a recent outing told.
That effort will have put him spot on for today`s race, in which he is 8lb better off with the winner Ellens Lad.
Firecrest can continue her rise from obscurity by recording her first Pattern-race success in the Princess Royal Willmott Dixon Stakes.
This filly has made dramatic progress through 2000, continually defying a rise in the weights as she won four handicaps on the bounce before a running away with a listed race at York in August.
A slow early pace put paid to her chance in in Germany last time out but she is well worth another chance today, when the soft ground will ensure her bottomless stamina comes fully into play.
Give underfoot should also suit Roman- tic Myth, who looked as though she was feeling the effect of a number of races on a firm surface when only fifth in the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster last month.
The Tim Easterby-trained filly had proven herself a smart two-year-old previously, notably when a most impressive winner of the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal meeting here.
the return visit for the Willmott Dixon Cornwallis Stakes could well earn her another Group Three success.
Tread carefully at York, where the last meeting of the year has attracted no fewer than 105 runners and the season ends with three straight maximum-field handicaps.
Big-priced winners can be expected, and First Maite in the Coral Eurobet Sprint Trophy and Peters Imp in the Newton Investment Management Stakes could fit the bill.
Henry Island appears attractively treated in the Tote Scoop6 Handicap Hurdle at Southwell.
