In a recent stable interview, trainer Walter Swinburn was sweet on Carniolan (6.45), stating that the three-year-old was going the right way and was set for a good second half of the season. He is spot on judging by Carniolan's emphatic victory at Newmarket last week, and even with top weight the gelding looks well treated under a 6lb penalty at Newmarket tonight.
Carniolan will be a shortish price, somewhere around the 11-8 mark, but each-way backers looking for a bit of value should check out Networker (8.50) in the finale at Newmarket. He is starting to slip back to a workable handicap mark and there were signs last time that Networker was finding some form. He will be one of the few remaining runners on whom smart apprentice David Probert will be able todraw his 7lb claim.
At Pontefract, Hotham (7.35) is worth a close look. He has been successful on his last two starts over the stiff five furlongs here and has had excuses since running a good third at York last month.
