Another great January

PHANTOM House continues to have plenty of runners over the upcoming few days as William aims to extend his hot streak.

The yard has had 12 runners on the Flat so far this year and not had one finish outside the first four.

With four winners already on the board, William will bid to maintain – or improve(!) – his fine 33 per cent strike rate this week.

Stirling Bridge is declared for tomorrow at Kempton (see separate story) but the yard has two more declared there.

William outlined: “January, 2011, has nearly been as good as this time last year when we had seven straight winners.

“The form of the string is testament to the hard work of our staff who had to put up with that bitterly cold snap through December.

“Jockey Club Estates also did a great job maintaining the training grounds which perhaps gave horses from the town an edge over those from other parts of the country.

“As well as Stirling Bridge, Profligate runs at Kempton. She is in the seven furlong fillies’ handicap and will be wearing blinkers for the first time and I hope this might bring about some improvement in her.

“This looks like one of her easiest opportunities so far with Robert Mills’ horse But Beautiful the principal danger.

“I am still monitoring Transformer after his pleasing victory at Lingfield last Saturday. He is in the mile and half handicap.”

“On Friday, Aquilifer will bid for his third straight win at Lingfield. He will be dropping back a furlong but there were not many suitable races for him over a mile.

“Having spoken to his regular jockey  Shane Kelly, we don’t seem to think this will be too much of a negative.

“On Saturday, we revert to the National Hunt code and a trip to Doncaster for In Vigo who made a relatively promising debut at Huntingdon earlier this month.”