Prayer aiming for Sovereign success

Ralph Beckett is hoping Without A Prayer can bag a first Pattern-race success in Thursday's totesport.com Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury.The four-year-old was placed in Group Three company as a juvenile and although he has two Listed wins to his credit, he has yet to get his head in front at the higher level.He said: "I felt I ran him back too quickly at Ascot last time, so I'm confident that he will run well at Salisbury next week. He won nicely at Windsor the time before and I think you can put a line through Ascot. For whatever reason, he got himself in a bit of a state."He added: "He won a Listed race over 10 furlongs at Deauville last season but he seems to have got quicker as he has aged. It seems unusual but he seems to be better over a mile."My only worry would be if we were to see a lot of rain because he wants fast ground to be seen at his best."