AUTUMN RETURN (4.20, nap) looks ready to blossom in the quinnbet.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle on Tuesday.
The six-year-old, trained by Ruth Jefferson, landed a bumper at Ayr in the spring and impressed when following up on her Market Rasen hurdle debut in September.
After a decent fourth at Wetherby, she found a Listed novice hurdle too hot for her at Newbury but, back to Class 4 last time at Catterick, the daughter of Fame And Glory was comfortably too good for her rivals, running out an easy four-length winner over Bents Hollow.
Her mark for this handicap bow — just 3lb higher than at Catterick — looks reasonable, and she can follow up.
At Southwell, the Michael Dods-trained IRISH FLAME (5.30, nb) can take the Spreadex Sports Best Premier League Odds Novice Stakes over a mile.
On his track debut for Clive Cox, he was only fifth at Windsor.
But, last time out, he showed improvement after switching stables to Dods (above) when easily landing a novice event, also over a mile, at Newcastle.
Prominent throughout, he stormed away in the final furlong to win by five and a half lengths from Central Hall.
