Pepper bites Bullet
Dual Great St Wilfrid winner Pepper Lane is due to step up into Listed company for the Beverley Bullet Stakes on Saturday.
Last Updated: 30/08/12 4:23pm
Dual Great St Wilfrid winner Pepper Lane is due to step up into Listed company for the Beverley Bullet Stakes on Saturday.
David O'Meara' s mare overcame some ordinary early season form to take Ripon's showpiece event over six furlongs as an unconsidered 20-1 chance, and with handicap opportunities limited by her new rating of 106, she is tried against Listed company over a furlong shorter by connections.
Among her opposition will be Dinkum Diamond. Henry Candy's four-year-old was a warm favourite for the prize last term, and having accounted for Masamah in a conditions stakes at Nottingham under Cathy Gannon, it would be no surprise to see the pair towards the head of the market.
Bryan Smart won the race last year with Tangerine Trees and he will be doubly represented by previous course-and-distance winners, Step In Time and Free Zone.
Confessional and Cheviot drop into Listed class having failed to trouble the judge in Group company, but there would be no more popular winner on the Westwood than Borderlescott.
Robin Bastiman's veteran is now ten years young, and though its over two years since he last visited the winner's enclosure, he was in the process of running a creditable race in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood before meeting with a trouble at a vital stage of the race.