Byerley Stud Stakes preview Willie McCreery is hoping not much rain falls at Newbury for Lethal Promise ahead of the Byerley Stud Stakes at Newbury on Friday. The five-furlong contest for two-year-old fillies, registered as the St Hugh’s Stakes, has been picked as the next port of call by the County Kildare handler for his smart prospect. The daughter of Invincible Spirit drops back down to the minimum trip after finishing fourth in the Group Three Grangecon Stud Stakes at the Curragh over six furlongs on her latest start. “She’s in good form. It’s been raining there and I just hope they do not get too much,” said McCreery. “Everything’s been good since her last run and hopefully it’s a good opportunity for her.” Clive Cox feels Heartwarming is far from the finished product but is happy to step her up from maiden company on the strength of a cosy success on her second start at Sandown last month. “She was clearly still learning when she won her maiden at Sandown,” said the Lambourn trainer. “She is a half-sister to Heartache who was very good at two and I hope this filly can follow in a similar direction. “She is a nice filly and is progressing and I think there is a lot more to come. I think she is all speed and has a bit of class but she is still a baby. “This is a big step up from the maiden but we are looking forward to it.” Scintillating found the jump from a novice victory to Group Three class too much when she beat just one rival home in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot. However, connections of the Ralph Beckett-trained filly have not lost any faith in her and are confident a return to Newbury where she made her winning debut, is a positive. “She disappointed at Ascot but she was set alight at the start. We really like her and she impressed us first time up. Hopefully she can put that Ascot run behind her,” said Harry Herbert, racing manager for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing. “She is very fast and that is why we are dropping back in trip. She is a very powerful and beautifully made filly. “We owned her half-brother Prolific and he was fast as well so it is a fast family. Hopefully she has got the pace to be competitive.” Richard Hannon is expecting Come On Leicester to bounce back from an under-par effort in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket where she was well-beaten in the Group Two won by Pretty Pollyanna. Come On Leicester had run a good race at Royal Ascot when a close fifth to Signora Cabello but that run left its mark as she was beaten at odds-on at Windsor 10 days later. “She is a sweet filly. I was a bit disappointed how she ran in the Duchess of Cambridge,” said the Herridge handler. “I don’t think the trip was the problem but she is a fast filly. “She had a hard race at Ascot and we thought she would win at Windsor and it looked like she wanted six there. She would have a good chance.” Among others in a competitive event are the Archie Watson-trained pair of Shumookhi and So Brave, Roger Varian’s Thriving and James Tate’s Implicit, who has won her last three starts, all in nurseries.
