Oisin McSweeney spent a number of years over in England when he was based at Hambleton Lodge before he headed back home to Ireland. He arrived back on these shores at the start of the season and enjoyed a nice double at Carlisle courtesy of Magic Basma and Ribble River, both earning their first career wins.

Magic Basma was a late comer to the yard but the daughter of Expert Eye showed a good attitude and promise during her homework. Carlisle offers debutantes plenty of time to find their feet with he stiff finish meaning they don’t have to be rushed into the race. This proved key as the filly made a winning debut in the 6f Racing TV EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

Given time to mature, Magic Basma still had some furnishing to do when she cam into training. Although not immediately ready, she showed ability and a very kind nature. Once things clicked and she showed that she was ready, Magic Basma was sent to Carlisle to line up against 6 rivals. It is always hard with 2yo’s first time out as you have to see how they take to the occasion but Oisin was allowed to ride with patience if his filly was a little race shy.

Steadily away, Magic Basma raced towards the rear through the early stages as the field shunned the rail to race more central. Oisin gave his filly time to find her feet and although she showed greeness, Magic Basma got into a rhythm. It was an even gallop but they were quickly swinging right handed.

With the leaders straightening up for home, they continued to race down the centre. This left Magic Basma with daylight on the far side of the field and meant that she would have a clear run if good enough. They got racing a long way out and each jockey started to get to work passing halfway. Oisin was cajoling his filly and she was starting to lengthen although still showing plenty of inexperience.

Magic Basma came good passing the 2f marker and made impressive headway. Sweeping through she joined in with the leaders as Oisin continued to educate his filly. Suddenly the debutante hit the front and looked full of running as she took the lead and started to really stretch. The inexperience was still there for all to see but she was thriving as they met the rising ground. Oisin was working and helping his filly all the time as she pricked her ears and pulled away. Inside the final furlong Magic Basma was just having a look around which allowed her rival to close in toward the finish but she had done enough. Passing the line with ease pricked, Magic Basma made a winning debut by 3/4 lengths.

It was a smart performance from Magic Basma who had to overcome plenty of inexperience and greeness. Once she got into her stride she was very strong and the further they went the better she was. There is obviously plenty more to come from the filly who will improve with racing but she won under a hands and heels ride from Oisin. Although Magic Basma made a winning debut, she is far from the finished article but is an exciting filly to look forward to.

When you hit the sweet spot regarding a horse’s trip they can improve tremendously. Stamina and ground proved to be the perfect combination for Ribble River. The 3yo thrived with a step up in trip and took his first win in the 1m3f Autism In Racing Handicap, giving connections a double on the day.

Having shown early promise, Ribble River didn’t quite build on that through the first couple of runs this season. Being by Ribchester, there was always a feeling that ease in the ground would suit best and this was helped by a step up in trip last time out. Running over 1m2f, he showed that the extra stamina test was no problem and should have finished closer if he had been a little more straight forward.

Lining up at Carlisle, Oisin took a patient approach but Ribble River took a bit of a keen hold through the early stages. The pace was steady enough through the first couple of furlongs which did see a few fight for their head. Ribble River  chased the early leaders, in touch but also just fighting Oisin ever so slightly.

When they raced through halfway and started to swing right handed, the pace did pick up as the ground runs away downhill. This did suit Ribble River more and allowed Oisin to drop his hands now and race in a smoother rhythm. As they headed into the final 4f the field once agin shunned the far side rail and began to move towards the centre.

Ribble River just hit a little flat spot but Oisin was quick to maintain his position as the race heated up. Straightening up he came good once again as the leaders began to quicken the tempo. Ribble River was going well in behind the leaders entering the final 2f but he was trapped in a slight pocket. Oisin had to sit and wait, searching for a route through. As the pressure told on a couple of the leaders the gaps began to appear, allowing Oisin to angle out. Switching to his right the pair got clear daylight.

Moving into the final furling, Ribble River had quickened up to join the leaders and looked full of running. Whilst he was entering unknown territory, Ribble River seemed to getting stronger and hitting the rising ground he started to assert. Oisin kept him up to his work but the 3yo was kicking clear of his rivals, eating up the ground. Crossing the line, Ribble River had gained his first win by a comfortable 2 lengths.

The step up in trip really suited Ribble River and he looks as though he would get further. Staying on well, he hit the line hard and won with a bit in hand. The easier ground is ideal for Ribble River and this is a performance that could really see the 3yo build upon.

Pedigrees don’t guarantee success but the one consistent in breeding is the Dam. Handbell has already produce two black type fillies and she may have just added another promising daughter. Lothlorien overcame inexperience to make a winning debut in the 5f EBF Fillies Novice Stakes at Beverley.

Dandy Man is one of the go to stallions for speed and Lothlorien looked to be a real sprinter from day one. Powerfully built, for a filly, she had shown plenty of promise in her home work but was a little raw in the early stages of the season. Time allowed her to strengthen and fill her frame to the point where she said she was ready for the track.

Beverley is a lovely track to introduce 2yo’s. The uphill finish means you don’t have to rush them into the race as they can finish and therefore have time to find their feet. This proved to be key for Lothlorien as she made her debut against 9 rivals, with Tom Eaves in the saddle.

Slowly away, Tom tried to let his filly find her stride but Lothlorien got a small bump and daylight which just lit her up. Racing quite keen through the first furlong she landed towards the front of the field with the odds on favourite coming around the outer to make a line of three at the front. With Tom not wanting to really force the issue, the favourite edged right, taking the position of Lothlorien.

Swinging around the bend and into the home straight, the leading duo looked to press home their advantage. The favourite pressured the leader but was travelling smoothly, similarly so was Lothlorien. In the favs slipstream Tom waited and looked to kick at the same time. Passing the 2f pole the leader remained the same but it were the fillies to the outer who looked to be stalking dangerously.

Lothlorien showed her first signs of greeness when Tom began to ask her to go through with her run. Whilst the favourite began to move forward an take the lead, Lothlorien took her time to get gathered and find her feet. It wasn’t until the rising ground that the penny began to drop. With the favourite kicking on, Lothlorien had some ground to make up but as the track stiffened, she began to eat into the deficit. Pulling up alongside the new leader, the front two came away from the rest as they battled for the lead. The final 100 yards were close, barely a nostril separating the pair. It was a head bobbing finish as the two flashed past the line, requiring the judge to decide the winner.

It was a fine effort from Lothlorien on debut, not only to overcome inexperience but to do so against a rival who had decent form previous. She almost did everything wrong through the early stages but with Tom’s help she settled. Once she hit the rising ground, Lothlorien thrived and this suggests that 6f should be no problem in the future. It will be interesting to see where the filly lines up next but on this evidence she is a 2yo with a lot of potential.

Carlisle offers a very unique Raceday when the card is exclusive for female riders, both amateur and professional. Having gained her first winner this season, Louise Akehurst was reunited with Amazing Winnie  for the evening card. The pair recorded their second career win when they took the 1m Vanessa Lana Brown Appreciation Handicap.

Amazing Winnie had proven to be a frustrating character until a first career win a few starts ago. Despite this confidence boost, the filly reverted back to how she had been running, failing to fire on the next two runs. With Amazing Winnie being in foal, time was running out on her racing career and Carlisle would be the last run before she would need to retire to the breeding shed.

Breaking well, Amazing Winnie was quickly into stride and took the lead. Racing quite freely she had pulled her way to the fore and tracked over to snatch the rail, taking the shortest route. Once she had her head in front, Amazing Winnie then did drop her head and the gallop steadied to an even pace, as they started to swing right handed.

Constantly hassled in front, the field were soon past halfway and starting to straighten up. At the top of home straight Amazing Winnie left the rail and began to race towards the centre of the track. This is a usual move at Carlisle when the ground is soft and Louise took the rest along with her. Closely tracked by a couple of rivals, the front trio moved away from the rest of the field and started to increase the tempo from the 3f marker.

Heading into the final 2f and beginning to hit the rising ground, the front three locked horns and were set for a tough battle. Louise was getting a tune from her filly and Winnie was continuing to find for pressure. With little separating the leaders it was a real tussle and they were all finding a little bit more. Amazing Winnie was very game but she really came into her own the further they went. With just 100 yards to run, Amazing Winnie proved to be at her strongest and she was overcame her rivals. Galloping all the way through the line, Amazing Winnie won with a bit more to spare then the head margin.

Ending her racing career on a win was a very positive result and shows that Amazing Winnie and Louise have struck up a good relationship. Now the filly will go into the second stage of her career which will see her become a mother.

Sprinters at all levels are exciting to watch, showing blistering speed and there are non faster than those who race over the minimum trip. DC Flyer has been dropped back to 5f in recent races and looked to have been getting faster which every run. He gained his first win of the season when taking the 5f JPS Ceilings And Partitions Handicap at Newcastle.

Having won last year, DC Flyer hasn’t quite matched that this season and slowly the handicapper had given him some help. Dropping 7lb saw the 3yo off a mark of 55 which he utilised, making all at Newcastle. Lining up against 11 rivals, with Tom Eaves in the saddle, DC Flyer showed plenty of speed throughout the contest.

Breaking from stall 2, DC Flyer was straight to the fore and tracked over toward the centre of track. Although he was pressed, his rivals were happy to take a lead and so DC Flyer would bowl along in front. Setting strong fractions, there was no hanging about as the field quickly went through the early stages.

DC Flyer had a good number of his rivals in trouble at the halfway point, as those who chased the leader began to come under a drive. Tom maintained his advantage in front and continued to turn the screw, not easing the pace. As they passed the 2f marker, DC Flyer got the hurry up as Tom looked to take advantage of his lead. The 3yo quickened up and stretched his lead, although there was still plenty of racing left.

Opening up to a clear couple of lengths lead, DC Flyer was trying to make the best of his way home. Those who had been chasing throughout the contest were out of the race and it was left to a couple of late finishers. DC Flyer was continuing to move forward and deep inside the final furlong he still held a clear lead. Tom kept him up to his work and the pair were never in danger. The final 100 yards gave the runner up a chance to close the gap but DC Flyer had put the hard work in earlier in the race which helped to secure him a 3/4 length win.

DC Flyer showed great speed throughout the race and managed to also quicken off this pace. It is one of the hardest ways to win a race but being a target but if he can dictate like this then there could be more days to come for DC Flyer. He will get a hike in the handicap but that should not be a problem and hopefully DC Flyer can give his owners some more fun days in the coming weeks.

Sometimes people within racing are caught in their own bubble and it takes something to make you realise just how important other factors can be. There was sad news this week as owner Tom Muir passed away. It was planned that his horses would be out running, hopefully so he could watch them and maybe celebrate some wins. Vantheman was his first ever horse and the 3yo stuck to the script as he took the 5f Always Trying Racing Syndicate Handicap.

Vantheman has thrived this year and has developed into a potentially smart sprinter. The son of Invincible Army was always a big, powerful horse and it was a bonus what he did as a 2yo. When he came back from his winter break it was clear that he had flourished and matured into his physique. That was immediately evident when he made a winning comeback at Newcastle. That win was followed by a fine second at York, where he was unfortunate to be drawn away from the action and did superbly well to get as close as he did. Royal Ascot was the next stop and again Vantheman ran a big race, only beaten around 3 lengths on ground that was too quick for him.

This time of year the 3yo are forced to race against their elders more often and Vantheman would have to do this as he lined up against some veterans at Ponte. Tom Eaves maintained his partnership with the gelding and went into the race with extra motivation for the evening. There was always going to be plenty of pace on and straight for the off they were going hard. Vantheman jumped on terms but had to be rousted along to hold his position on the inside. Settling into midfield he was chasing the pace which was touching 43mph.

Blasting through the first half of the race they swung the bend and maintained to keep the intense tempo. Tom had held his position throughout and moved up the inside as they rounded the home bend. As they entered the home straight Tom got to work with a beautiful opening in front of him. Vantheman immediately quickened up and tried to make headway on the inner. The leader poured it on from the front and set sail off the strong gallop.

Pontefract has a stiff finish and it was certainly going to be a test here. Vantheman was picking up but still had over a length to catch the leader. As they headed towards the final furlong it looked as though Van would be the only real challenger. He inched his way closer to the lead but was up against a very willing foe. Once he got to the girths of the leader he found another gear. It was 1/2f from home and now there was only one winner. Vantheman was in full flow and snatched the lead, the shouts went up from Tom Muir’s family and it looked destine to be a memorable moment. Now he started to power away, striding out and opening up a length lead, securing an emotional win.

It was only two years ago when we met Tom Muir who was keen to get into racing. Thankfully he got Vantheman, a horse who we always liked and thought could potentially take him to the right meetings. The 3yo has done just that and looks likely to for his career. It also meant that we got to spend time with Tom, his wife Janice and their family. Not only was Tom great company but a gentleman and he will be sorely missed by all. Times like this just put everything into perspective but hopefully Vantheman can continue to thrive and carry Tom’s colours to more memorable days because if there is one little bit of solace that the horse can give then it would be the perfect result.

Winter can be a long time, no racing, bad weather, short days. In racing the unknown yearlings are what keep that period exciting, not knowing what potential stars are lurking. It doesn’t always work out but the yard looked to have a nice bunch of juveniles and they have certainly been in fine form. Territorial Knight became the 12th 2yo winner when he bolted up in the 6f Northern Commercials Used Stock For Instant Delivery EBF Restricted Novice at Pontefract.

The son of Territories had taken a big step forward from his debut run to his second. Having found everything happening a bit too fast at York, Territorial Knight showed that he was a quick learner when he returned to action. Taking a big step forward the chestnut narrowly went down at Wetherby, finishing second and showing real promise. He had steadily stepped up in trip but it was clear that 6f would be his next start.

Pontefract offers a stiff test of 6f and Territorial Knight headed there to take on 10 rivals with he race splitting into 2 divisions. Sent off favourite, Tom Eaves looked to be positive from the outset. Vying for the lead from the off, Territorial Knight had to settle for second as his market rival, and previous winner, took the lead. It was a strong gallop with the leader pulling hard but Tom had a nice toe into the race and they quickly ran down the back straight towards the left handed bend.

All the market leaders were toward the front of the field which ensured a strong gallop throughout the contest. Territorial Knight always travelled smoothly and held his pitch just behind the pace. The field were well strung out as they rounded the bend, with the pace telling. Tom was away going to have first crack at the leader once the chance came.

Moving into the home straight, the 2f pole loomed up and Tom kicked. Territorial Knight quickly moved up and took the lead, looking to stretch clear of the rest. He pretty much did and this move looked to be race winning but there was one rival who came from out of the pack. Suddenly it was a leading pair as they went head to head, putting distance to the rest. Now a two horse race they went to battle with over a furlong to run. Territorial Knight still held the advantage but was going to have to pull out all the stops. Once they entered the final furlong it was a little bit of unknown territory with this being his first run over the trip. As expected though he thrived for it and the extra distance was a real plus. Territorial Knight now hit top gear and with 100 yards to go put the race to bed. Striding out he continued to stretch clear, taking the win by a comfortable 2 3/4 lengths with daylight to the rest.

The progression shown by Territorial Knight has been impressive and he won here with plenty in the tank. Stepping up in trip was ideal and he should be the type to continue to improve with racing. He has the size and scope to continue maturing throughout this year and next but York could be on the cards first. The big sales race has had another influx of pre money and Territorial Knight could well be heading there next, surely with as good a chance as anything else.

Debut runs are not the be all and end all for a horses career. Of course everyone would like to see a 2yo win at the first try but it I very hard to do with so many variables for inexperienced horses. It means that it can take a good one to overcome these factors to make the perfect start. King’s Call certainly made an impression on debut when he took the 6f Hospitality At Scottish Sun Ladies Night Novice Stakes at Ayr.

The Bronte Collection are a fairly new syndicate but have already made quite an impression with their colours a regular fixture throughout British racing. They have had horses with Kevin since the start and King’s Call is the third progeny from the Dam Play Mate. Having had some success with the other siblings, King’s Call arrived and immediately showed that he too could be above average. As his work progressed he continued to impress, with the colt receiving an entry in the Group 2 Gimcrack before he made his debut at Ayr.

Generally Ayr does attract some nice juveniles, with the Scottish track offering a very fair and educational test. King’s Call was one of 9 runners in the field, spearheaded by a recent winner. Tom Eaves was booked for the ride and he had a very professional partner from the off. Jumping well the colt was straight into stride and took up front running duties. Spearheading the field, King’s Call set strong fractions as he raced down the centre of the track.

Nothing took on the leader which allowed King’s Call to race as he wanted to. There was no change in the first half of the race and as they headed past the 3f there was no way of choosing a winner. With the majority of the field still travelling well, the finish would certainly be entertaining. The complexion of the race changed moving pat the 2f as King’s Call continued to travel powerfully not the front end. With Tom motionless in the saddle, the leader had his rivals coming under pressure as they tried to lay a glove on King’s Call.

Loosening the reins, Tom let his mouth stride out, and King’s Call resounded by quickening up. Holding a slender lead, the colt was lengthening and put many of the rivals out of the race. There was a trio battling it out for the lead but King’s Call had yet to be asked for maximum effort. As they entered the final furlong, Tom pressed the button and he got the response. His rivals were not done but with every stride he continued to hold them at bay. Finding more and more for pressure, King’s Call always had enough in hand and made a winning debut by a length.

Professional throughout, King’s Call showed a hug amount of promise on his debut. He showed bright speed but was able to quicken off this and then battled all the way to the line against a previous winner. There was still signs of inexperience when he came off the bridle which shows that there could be a huge amount more to come from him. He is an exciting prospect and does hold an entry in the Gimcrack at York. Wherever he does go next, King’s Call looks a smart juvenile.

As the season progresses the start of nurseries sees more opportunities for the 2yo’s. With many having had their qualifying runs under their belts, the handicapper has released their marks and they can begin to run in handicap company. East Tyrone needed to get back on track and he did just that as he won the 6f John Smiths Nursery Handicap at York.

The son of Mehmas had made a striking debut when finishing runner up, showing signs of inexperience that day. It seemed as though a win was inevitable but unfortunately next time he couldn’t quite build on his debut, maybe with the race coming a little too soon after run 1. East Tyrone’s third run was very disappointing, travelling well he didn’t look to go through with his run and subsequently was gelded. Gelding East Tyrone meant that he would have the recovery time as a break before the nurseries began.

Starting on a mark of 67 seemed fair and when the nursery at York came up it looked an ideal option. It would be the first time racing over 6f and he would be lining up against 12 rivals, all unexposed like himself. Shane Gray got the leg up and would have to earn his riding fee. With rain softened ground the field would race towards the stands side rail. Then along by the favourite, East Tyrone settled into midfield but toward the far side of the group.

There was no hiding place for the 2yo’s as the favourite took them through the race. East Tyrone had raced in easy going previously and looked to handling the ground with no problem here. He would need to show he stayed the 6f but through the first half of the race he travelled nicely behind the pace. Just hitting a little flat spot around the 3f marker, Shane had to niggle for a few strides to maintain their position.

Moving into the final 1/4 mile the leader looked to kick from the front and got the rest chasing, having travelled supremely well. Around half of the field were out of the contest and East Tyrone was working hard to keep tabs on this around him. He made steady progress, not losing his position but not gaining either. It did look to be a real test for the 2yo’s and they would need to dig deep.

Still holding sway on the rail, the favourite was now starting to look in trouble passing the 1f marker. The race began to develop more towards the centre and East Tyrone was continuing to find for pressure, on the girths of the new leader. It looked as though East Tyrone would pick up and take the lead but he came up against a brave opponent. Every time Shen looked like he made the move to go by East Tyrone didn’t really knuckle down. The race looked there for the taking but East Tyrone would only just get there in the nick of time, securing the win in the dying strides on the nod.

Now he has got his head in front this might be the building blocks for East Tyrone to go on from. He saw the trip out well but it did look as though he is holding something back, which suggests there could be more to come from him. There are some big nurseries back on the Knavesmire so it would be great if East Tyrone can continue to improve and maybe head back there for the Ebor meeting.

The horses are in fine form with the winners flowing over the past few weeks. One division that has been impressive all season are the 3yo’s, who have been progressive throughout the season so far. Sisyphean is a horse who was always going to be a work in progress, getting better with time and racing. He certainly showed he had an engine when he destroyed the field by 5 lengths in the 1m George Blades Memorial Handicap at York.

It was on the Knavesmire where Sisyphean started his career, running in the convivial maiden. He wasn’t going to be best as a 2yo but more of a work in progress, developing with time. He showed a decent level of form in three runs before returning as a 3yo and securing a first career win on the the all-weather. Unfortunately he couldn’t build on that when tackling handicap company but was subsequently found to have a wind issue which was immediately dealt with.

Sisyphean had been awarded a friendly mark of 80 and that is what he rained on when heading to York. His home work has always suggested that he would be better than this but the question mark would linger over the wind op just done, would it be the thing hindering him or not. Tom Eaves was on board the 3yo as they took on 8 rivals.

Racing in second, Sisyphean chased a steady early pace after being nudged up to sit in second place. Tom was keen to utilise the colt’s long stride and allow him to stretch. When the leader left a gap up the rail Tom moved up to take over at the front, entering the bend. It wasn’t a crazy pace set as they swung left handed and headed for the home straight.

Rain had been falling all week which eased the ground conditions and left Tom with a decision to make. As they made their way into the straight, Tom made a deliberate move to come towards the stands side rail, where the better ground would be. The field followed suit as they raced down to the last 3f. Sisyphean was striding out in front and began to wind the tempo up. Those in behind started to work their way through to get a crack at the leader.

Entering the final 2f Tom got into his drive, the last jockey to do so. Sisyphean continued to hold the lead but had a swarm of rivals lining him up. Tom now asked for his mount to go and put the race to bed but the colt didn’t immediately do so. The pair were inching their way clear of the field but once they hit the 1f pole, Tom gave him a flick and Sisyphean took off. Within a few strides the advantage doubled and there was no stopping Sisyphean. Quickening and lengthening all the time, Sisyphean powered clear and bolted up by 5 lengths.

This performance was no surprise at all and it is clear that the wind op has done the trick. Sisyphean has always looked a smart horse and he has shown that there is a lot of potential in him. Obviously the handicapper will not take this result lightly and Sisyphean will have to shoulder a big hike in the handicap. On this showing he has definitely given the impression that bigger and better targets could well be within reach.

Progressive 3yo’s are not only an important part of a yard but thoroughly enjoyable to watch. You can never be sure how horses progress from their juvenile season to their adolescent stage. There are some top handicaps on offer for the 3yo generation, over every trip and with great prize money on offer they are ultra competitive. Sergeant Wilko made it 3 from 4 for the year when winning the 6f Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap at Newmarket.

From day one Sergeant Wilko was an imposing horse, built like a sprinter and muscle bound. Despite his size, Wilko was an early 2yo and won on his second start, which led to King Power Racing purchasing the colt. Following that win he was set some stiff tasks in pattern company, and in hindsight it looked as though he was not quite the finished article, maybe a bit more raw than he looked from the outside.

Starting this year off a mark of 78 looked very fair and Sergeant Wilko immediately set about building that up. Winning on his return, over 6f, Wilko showed that he had done well over the winter and also showed he could stay the 6f. Unlucky next time out when carried out at the start, he would bounce right back at Leicester. Winning King Power’s own race, Sergeant Wilko continued on the upgrade and booked his place at Newmarket.

The 13 strong field were a varied bunch, progressive like Wilko or dropping down from a higher grade of race, showing the strength of field. Oisin Murphy rides many of the King Power trained horses and was in the saddle, looking to be positive from the outset. With the field splitting into two groups, Sergeant Wilko led the near side one racing towards the centre of the track. The two groups were racing like tram lines but little separated the leaders as they set a very strong gallop.

By halfway Sergeant Wilko had really stretched the field and as he free wheeled, the pace matinee around the 40mph mark. Oisin was actually one of the first jockeys to start working away as he wound up Wilko passing the 3f pole. Just getting him to lengthen and stretch, Oisin was lining up his run for when they hit the rising ground for the finish.

Continuing the run down into the dip the field were well spread out but it was still Sergeant Wilko who held the advantage. There were plenty of chances as the challengers now started to come through with their runs. Oisin was getting a good tune out of his mount but he really committed for home passing the 2f marker. With rivals looking to strike, it did seem as though Wilko could be a good target for the closers.

He was never passed but Sergeant Wilko had been joined on the far side. Now meeting the riding ground he clocked his rivals and began to edge left handed to maintain his run. Upsides his rival Sergeant Wilko found more and changed his legs to quicken up again. The leading pair had a clear lead but it was Sergeant Wilko who was finishing the strongest. He had been there to be shot at throughout the contest but still proved to be finishing the best. Striding out he took the win by a length.

Sergeant Wilko was impressive here, not only by the way he raced but he also showed a great attitude to repel all challenges and quicken off a very strong gallop. He really had to do it the hard way and in the end he won with a little bit in hand. It is likely that he will get a good rise in the handicap for this and the top heritage handicaps will likely be his future. Sergeant Wilko does hold an entry int he Stewards cup and that may well be under consideration after this display.