Book Ready To Make Sweet Music

Book Of Music's connections hope their charge is progressing rapidly enough to claim gold in Saturday's totesport.com November Stakes at Windsor.

Sir Michael Stoute's three-year-old picked up his first victory of the present campaign when coming with a wet sail to snatch a 10-furlong Ascot handicap last month.

He displayed a bright turn of foot when switched for a run in that contest and is able to race from just a 2lb higher mark in the final major race of the turf Flat season.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owners Gainsborough Stud, believes everything seems to have fallen into place in the run-up to the #50,000 handicap.

'I believe everything's been fine with him since his win. He worked on Saturday and last Wednesday so everything seems fine and he's in good form,' he said.

'He's a quite lightly-raced horse and just seems to be coming good as he was quite impressive in his last race.

'This race has certainly been in mind since his last win.

'I think Sir Michael thought we'd have another go at a handicap with him this year as he only went up by 2lb.'

While Raymond expects a bold show from Book Of Music, he believes the strength of the opposition will provide a stern test for the son of Sadler's Wells.

'It looks quite a decent race but I think he's fresher than most,' he said.

'Peppertree Lane is obviously a good horse though and Scriptwriter is too so I think our horse might have to improve a bit to compete with Peppertree Lane, who is a real tough, seasoned handicapper.

'Most of them seem to like the soft ground as you would expect going into this time of the year ? certainly the front three do anyway.'

Peppertree Lane comes into the contest having landed three of his last four races and is the shorter of Mark Johnston's pair in the betting.

The Middleham maestro also saddles Hearthstead Wings, who chased home his stablemate at Ascot in October.

'Everything has gone okay with them since Ascot and this has been the plan since then, so all is well,' he said.

'The track and ground should be perfect although you never quite know with Windsor, but there is no reason why they should be any less capable there than any of the other horses.

'I suppose on their form you would think Hearthstead Wings would have a good chance of beating Peppertree Lane with an 8lb pull for around four-and-a-half lengths, but Peppertree Lane has obviously been the progressive one.'

Zero Tolerance must shoulder top weight of 9st 10lb but handler David Barron is looking forward to the challenge.

The Thirsk handler said: 'He's absolutely fine and he's always in good form at this time of the year.

'The softer the better for him but I wouldn't have thought it's going to be terribly soft tomorrow ? it looks as though good to soft is what we'll get, but that's okay.

'I wouldn't have thought the track will cause him any problems.

'We'll see what happens tomorrow as there might be somebody else who wants to go and make it, and if they do, then good luck to them.

'He's usually pretty handy though.'

Zero Tolerance will be stepping up in trip and Barron admits it will be something of a fact-finding mission.

'He's getting older and is perhaps a little bit better to talk to now than he used to be so I'm very open-minded about it,' he reasoned.

'He's very good at a mile and when you're good over a mile there's always a question mark over a mile and a half.

'But we're never going to find out without having a go.'

(C) PA Sport