York preview (15.45): Twilight Son can sprint to success
Twilight Son can make light of a rise in the weights to maintain his unbeaten record in the 6f handicap on a cracking seven-race card at York today (15.45).
The Henry Candy trained colt looked a smart sprinter in the making when easily winning both starts as a juvenile, and confirmed that impression when bolting up on seasonal reappearance at Newmarket.
Twilight Son travelled strongly in midfield, and after making good headway a furlong from home quickened clear under a hands and heels ride to beat Desert Force by two lengths.
The three-year-old scored with tons more in hand than the winning margin suggests, and made a total mockery of his opening handicap mark of 83.
It was a performance that suggested Twilight Son was a very exciting prospect who needed keeping firmly on side, and an 11lb rise in the weights is unlikely to stop him going in again.
A rating of 94 should not be beyond him, and the son of Kyllachy is a half-brother to connections smart sprinter Music Master and remains open to stacks more improvement.
Scalzo is also on an upward curve and looks the obvious danger following back-to-back successes this season.
The Martyn Meade-trained colt showed a good turn of foot to land a maiden at Haydock by 4 1/2 lengths, and then put up a breathtaking display on handicap debut at Haydock when romping to a seven length success.
Scalzo was slowly away in the latter, but quickly made up the lost ground and cruised into the contest to take up the running at the furlong marker and quicken clear.
It was a remarkable effort given Scalzo’s tardy start, and the son of Paco Boy clearly has a massive engine.
Not surprisingly, the assessor did not take kindly to the performance and hit Scalzo with an 18b rise in the weights.
However, the three-year-old remains unexposed and open to further improvement after just three and it is unlikely to stop him making a bold bid to complete the hat-trick.