Tom Bellamy is hungry for more winners at Hereford today

March 7

Our stable jockey Tom Bellamy has been in scintillating form this past week, with his two bumper winners for Barbury – Friendly Glance and Nevada Samba – being complemented by three victories for outside stables.

Nevada Samba, a son of Blue Bresil, sire of the amazing Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill, impressed at Wincanton on Thursday, and, with Alan’s three runners at Hereford today all duelling for favouritism in their respective races, Tom is hopeful of extending his successful run.

Seven Stars, who runs in the finale, is another of our bumper horses who has been showing distinct promise. She caught the eye when finishing third to a pair of subsequent winners at Stratford first time out, and, having undergone a wind operation last autumn, the mare made a pleasing return at Ludlow in December, finishing a close third to Malina Road, who won again at Market Rasen next time.

Like Friendly Glance, Seven Stars carries the colours of the Pitchall Stud Partnership, both also being by the stallion Passing Glance. and, though she’ll improve for a race after three months off, fingers crossed she’ll be bang there at the finish.

Another wh9 has had wind surgery is Neon Dream, who runs in the Hereford opener. Bought after winning an Irish point-to-point, Neon  Dream did nothing wrong on his Barbury debut at Cheltenham’s New Year meeting, taking minor honours in what looked a hot maiden hurdle.

However, he was on the retreat far too early at Kempton next time, so Alan has had his wind tinkered with, and we are hoping that it will help him reproduce his Cheltenham run here.

Sandwiched in between, we have Granny Hawkins going for the mares handicap hurdle. This will be her first run since winning over the course last November, but she had been off the track four months before that race so clearly goes well fresh, and, though now 6lb higher, Granny Hawkins should again be thereabouts provided the rain stays away.