The BLONDE TRACTOR Special Stakes, Ascot 7.5 furlongs firm turf.

5 yo mare

Swain x Misques Son x Caerleon

36 runs 9 wins 4 seconds 7 thirds $610791

She looked real hot as a 3yo, and in the early part of her 4 yo career, when she was the winner of a Grade 2 and Grade 3. At that point it looked very much that she could go on to be a special horse, but unfortunately for her connections she was never again to replicate those heady heights. That leaves us where we are with her today, and it looks to my eye like she has faded to a solid low allowance class runner. She did show some signs of a revival lto in a 7.5 furlongs stakes on the good turf in Iowa, where she ran on into third place with a 99. She needs a bit more here, can she delve deep into her memory bank and remember she was once classy?

3 yo mare

Galileo x Desert King x Slip Anchor

17 runs 3 wins 2 seconds 2 thirds $310640

This looks a difficult assignment for this 3yo. He has been highly tried of late and its no surprise that he has stuggled. Its been five fruitless runs since he ran a pb in a 3 yo grade 1 in New South Wales, where he ran on to steal third place with a speed figure of 96. He probably needs to smash his lifetime best here to get competitive but perhaps the drop back down to sprinting can find some improvement. Looks a big ask on paper.

4 yo mare

Rahy x Maria`s Mon x Gallant Man

21 runs 8 wins 4 seconds 1 third $157853

Talented but quirky individual. On a going day she will ping the lids and not be caught, just like lto when she won a restricted allowance at Epsom over todays trip, burning off the field by halfway and recording a 103. But she is also prone to having an off day where she can just down tools, particularly if she doesn`t get her own way in front. Its really an impossible task trying to predict what a horse like this will do in a race, im afraid its down to gut instinct, and as she rarely runs 2 races the same she is probably due for a bad one after her good run lto, but hey I may very well be wrong.

4 yo mare

Rock of Gilbraltar x Runaway Groom x Habitat

8 runs 4 wins 2 seconds 2 thirds

Lighlty raced outsider is not totally devoid of talent as he broke the magic 100 barrier 2 runs back in only his 7th career start.Now heres the but,and its a big one. Lto he did win his 7 furlongs restricted allowance in Victoria, quite comfortable it was as well, but the speed figure of 72 was not only miserable, it was a full 28 points slower than that 100 run the time before. To my mind he has it all to prove as he has never looked remotely close to achieving that 100 speed figure before or since, which beggars the question was it another classic example of the flash in the pan? We will find out shortly.

3 yo mare

Speightstown x Hennessy x Alydar

16 runs 5 wins 5 seconds 1 third $270080

Talented 3yo has been mixing it on both surfaces for most of her career, but it looks like her trainer has finally decided that she is a turfer, and in my view and on the strength of her last race quite rightly so. On the other hand she has won in stakes class on both surfaces, but he best work and the pick of her form has come on the lawn, where she is grade 2 placed. Lto won a mixed age stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket easily enough with a lifetime best 106. So she is in form, she is probably on her surface and we know from past form the distance is no problem so it looks like she is a worthy favorite to me.

5 yo mare

Hawk Wing x Danzig x Private Account

37 runs 9 wins 5 seconds 5 thirds $172937

I see a pattern in this ones form, he usually runs well in allowances but when he steps up to stakes class he usually gets a thumping. (Well not a thumping all the time. Sometimes he runs well and finishes 2 or 3 lengths off the winner, but always out of the money.) Bad news for this one then that this is a stakes, and even if his trainer tries to hide it from the horse, Im sure there will be some horse whispering going on in the parade ring by rival trainers. He is consistant enough, but doesn`t look the class of our market leader. If the favorite puts her best hoof forward, she wins.

4 yo mare

Came Home x Pentelicus x Valid Appeal

26 runs 1 win 5 seconds 3 thirds $78362

Im afraid its one of those one`s that make me stuggle to be positive. In really poor form with himself at present and has failed to place in his last 6 runs. He has only managed one win in his life and this will not be number 2 here. He would need a miracle of Foinavon proportions and this race doesn`t even have jumps.

4 yo mare

Hawk Wing x Royal Academy x Sir Gaylord

19 runs 7 wins 4 seconds 1 third $152054

This one surely would give the favorite a run for her money if she was on the top of her game, problem is she has 2 poorish runs to get out of her system. 3 runs back she acquitted herself quite well in a 7.5 furlong female stakes in California, leading all the way into the final furlong and holding on for 2nd with a new pb 103. Next time up she was tried in a grade 1 over 9 furlongs and did not stay. She dropped back down to 6 furlongs lto and even though she managed a 2nd, it was a race she was expected to win and her speed figure was a poor 84. She has to bounce back or she has no chance here.