8:10 – Leicester – JAYNE FERGUSON MEMORIAL FILLIES´ HANDICAP (CLASS 4) (3yo 0-85) Heavy 7f9y
Al Wajba comes into this race off the back of a win at Newcastle last time out. Her win was achieved on Good ground and she runs in Heavy ground today. However, she ran an excellent race at Windsor two starts back in Soft ground which gives plenty of encouragement that she will go well in the going this evening.
The 3 year old chestnut filly will only be making her fifth career start today. She ran twice at the backend of last season in Maiden races and she was very green on her debut at Newmarket, but showed promise when staying on towards the end of the race over 7 furlongs at Lingfield on her last start of the year.
She made her seasonal reappearance at Windsor in a Class 5 Maiden race and again ran on well just 1 length behind the winner. She was 3 ½ lengths ahead of the third placed horse which was a good effort after 193 days off. She qualified for a Handicap mark after her three runs in Maidens and duly won at Newcastle over 1 mile on her last start – her first in handicaps. She showed a good attitude as she had to dig deep to hold off the staying on Silvas Romana by a neck. The pair pulled 6 lengths clear of the rest of the field and Silvas Romana won on her next start at Sandown which helps to frank the form.
Al Wajba has been kept with her own sex again tonight and is dropping back down to 7 furlongs. She has only run over this distance on one previous occasion, which was her staying on 4th on her last run as a 2 year old.
After only four runs Al Wajba is still improving. She has improved on all on her runs to date and dropping back down to 7 furlongs will not necessarily inconvenience her. With the ground being Heavy her stamina to see out a mile in Soft ground will be a definite asset this evening. She has tended to stay on well towards the end of her races and once again this will be an asset in the ground with other horses tiring in front of her.
