Nottingham preview: Blacklister poised to open account

Blacklister posted a cracking effort when runner-up last time out and can go one better to open his account in the 1m nursery on today’s card at Nottingham (15.00).

The Mick Channon trained juvenile shaped really well on debut when beaten a short-head at Leicester, looking all over the winner until jinking and edging right close home.

Blacklister backed that up with a solid four of 12 to Galileo Gold in a decent contest at Salisbury, showing plenty of pace before keeping on at the one pace to be beaten 5 1/4 lengths.

Galileo Gold has since gone on to land the hat-trick and is now rated 110 after finishing third in a Group 1 at Longchamp when last seen in action, and the runner-up Zeeoneandonly has also scored twice since and finished third in a valuable sales race at the Curragh.

That is very strong form in the context of this class 5 contest and makes Blacklister look dangerously well-treated off a mark of just 69.

The son of Lawman also hinted that his time was near when a short-head runner-up at Chelmsford four days ago, getting badly hampered at the furlong marker before finishing with a flourish.

Blacklister is due to go up 5lb for that effort, so it’s no surprise to see connections turn him out quickly before the revised rating kicks-in.

In the 1m 2f handicap (16.10), Buonarroti looks a lively outsider now eased in grade.

The gelding had some useful form to his name as a juvenile when trained by Aidan O’Brien, including when fifth to Kingston Hill in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster off an official rating of 105.

Now in the care of Declan Carroll, the four-year-old is able to race off 88 having run really well in two of his last four starts.

In the first of those at Doncaster, Buonarroti stayed on strongly from three out to be gaining at the finish and beaten two lengths into fourth behind Elkaayed in a competitive class 2 contest.

The son of Galileo went on to finish a fine second to Penhill at Haydock in a similar grade affair on his penultimate outing, and judged on those efforts Buonarroti to be very competitive in this now dropped down into class 3 company.

Selections:
13.30: Hammer Gun
14.00: Mainstream
14.30: Hereawi
15.00: Blacklister (NAP)
15.35: Signed Sealed
16.10: Buonarroti (NB)
16.45: Free Zone
17.15: Ortac Rock