Ignore Insanity at your peril in the Brown Jack at Ascot on Friday

Alan has booked the in-form Sean Levey to ride Insanity in the John Guest Racing Handicap at Ascot on Friday. This race was formerly known as the Brown Jack, a legend on the Royal Heath., where he ran 11 times, quite remarkable really considering that in those days Ascot staged only the one meeting a year, and, of course, did not stage any jump racing.

Insanity made a winning reappearance to the Flat at Windsor in April, having been off the course since being pulled up over hurdles at Kempton over Christmas. He was beaten off this mark in his first handicap at York last autumn, but that was a Class 2 race and over a mile and six furlongs, whereas he is now dropping down two grades over a trip much more suitable.

Whispering Royal heads to Sandown’s evening fixture on Friday, and he has been such a model of consistency, having finished in the frame in 10 of his 11 races.

Lunar Shadow,  unplaced at Newmarket last time, is another dropping down a Grade in Newbury’s evening meeting tomorrow, while Zodiac Star, who broke his maiden over hurdles three weeks ago, tries for a follow-up at Worcester.