The likely drier surface will ask as much of a question of ASCENDING LARK as the penalty, but the form of her winning stable debut was well advertised in a Cheltenham Grade 3 last week, and Harry Derham's well-bred mare appears set to make up for lost time now. Lady d'Arbanville rates the logical alternative for all that there's a concern a sharp 2m will prove too speedy a test for her over hurdles. Market confidence in the long-absent Cindysox would be useful. [Jeremy Grayson]
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Connections suggested she'd only recently come right following an easy mares' maiden hurdle success on last month's British/stable debut (2m, soft), and the runner-up's Cheltenham near-miss last week has already gilded that form; untried on ground drier than yielding; tongue-tie added.
Triple 1m2f Flat scorer on sound surfaces and duly improved for the return to good ground when third in a Plumpton maiden hurdle latest (2m), albeit still beaten 12l; likelier one for handicaps after this.
Hung right on her Uttoxeter bumper debut (2m, good), so switch to a clockwise track appears wise; sufficient encouragement for 2m hurdles in pedigree to interest, assuming the 18-month absence doesn't find her out.
Matched the form of her Plumpton bumper win (good to soft) when beaten over 1l on January's Exeter hurdling debut (good to soft); slight concern she found herself outpaced over that stiff 2m1f considering a sharper test awaits here, but appeared to handle good ground fine on debut.
2l second at huge odds in a C&D maiden last month (soft), but occasional erratic leaps there were allied to a refusal to settle when beaten further last time; uplift on those efforts likely if doing all of the basics better, and assuming she copes with a likely sounder surface.
Lots of bumper prowess in pedigree so perhaps surprising she got just the one go in that sphere, in touch early but beaten 44l on last month's debut having refused to settle; should do better if helping herself more.
1/4 Odds Place 1,2
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