All eyes on Ali Shuffle in smart renewal of Hilary Needler

Leading syndicate organiser Nick Bradley is banking on winning course form coming to the fore when he mounts a three-pronged assault on the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at on Saturday.

The Karl Burke-trained Ali Shuffle, Ollie Sangster’s Artista and Saucy Jane for Jack Morland have all carried the black and white colours of Nick Bradley Racing to victory over the same track and trip prior to this prestigious £50,000 contest.

has since claimed the Lily Agnes at Chester and Saucy Jane was a creditable fourth in the Listed Marygate at York, while both of Artista’s runs have been at Beverley.

“Ali Shuffle is three from three and (jockey) Sam (James) is adamant her best days are still ahead of her, I’m sure he’s right,” said Bradley.

“I’m not sure where she’ll go after this, but she’s come out of the race at Chester well and it’s all systems go.

“Saucy Jane ran a good race in the Marygate, I thought it would be slowly-run race but it wasn’t, it was quickly run.

“We probably went a stride too fast and potentially set it up for the horses behind. Having said that, I don’t think we would have won but we may have finished a place or two closer.

“Artista is another course and distance winner, she’s a very smart filly and her work at home has been very good.

“She has already won at Beverley, beating our other filly (Homestrait). She’s going to run here and then we’ll potentially look at something like the Prix du Bois.”

Jamie Insole and Dr Richard Newland head north with a nice prospect in Angel Numbers, who travelled strongly throughout when scoring on her first start at Chelmsford, despite showing some signs of greenness.

“It was a really nice debut at Chepstow, we haven’t really seen how good she is yet because she never came off the bridle,” said Insole.

“But she’s got a good draw in one and she goes there with a nice, live chance.

“We obviously had the option of going for the National Stakes next week or going straight to Ascot, but with the rain potentially coming in and other factors, we thought we’d take our chance on Saturday.”

Tim Easterby’s Argentine Tango was second to Ali Shuffle here on her racecourse bow and then prevailed at Pontefract before chasing home a smart type in Venetian Sun at Carlisle.

Burke backs up the entry of Ali Shuffle by saddling comfortable Musselburgh scorer Meelaf and Craig Lidster’s Arduis Invicta is far from out of it judged on two spins in similar company.