GYTO Friday Notebook Double

I was with CURLEY FINGER at Doncaster last time and he showed a tremendous attitude to hold on from Floueur. The pair came 5 and a half lengths clear from the rest and I thought it was a good effort. That was his third win in a row and he is up another 5lb here but he won this race last year and given his form is progressive I think he could go in again. He will go hard off the front and it’ll be 'catch me if you can’. He faced some competition for the lead last year and still won so although there is quite a bit of pace on I still think he could get the better of the argument. Champ Royal is on a four-timer too and looks the obvious threat but has gone up another 6lb.

Now pitched into a handicap it would be no surprise to see PUREFOY continue his race-by-race progression and get off the mark. Andrew Balding has made a fast start to the new Flat season and this son of Ulysses ran an eye-catching race beaten less than a length over a mile here on final start last year. I think he’ll appreciate dropping back to 7f and an opening mark of just 75 may well prove to be lenient. Oisin Murphy gets the leg up for the first time and everything points towards a big run. Pedro Valentino shaped well on debut and then improved to win at Wolverhampton last year. He has more to come and looks the obvious danger.