STELLAR SWIFT

Two weeks ago, over the same distance, this horse performed very well despite a slow jump, settling towards the rear before making a strong late run with good speed in the final sections. He finished fifth, beaten by one and a half lengths. This time benefiting from a one-pound weight reduction, racing against similarly timed opponents and drawing a favorable barrier, the plan is to settle back and rely on a finishing kick which appears to be the strongest in the group. The horse's form is relatively strong, the jockey has some familiarity with its capabilities, trainer and jockey maintain reasonable trust, and intensive training is showing rapid improvement in condition – suggesting a good chance of entering contention.