Trainer Harry Fry has only ever sent one of his rides on the 634-mile round trip from Dorset to Sedgefield, but he has two representatives on today's card, one of which is Will Victory, who is an intriguing entry for this mares' handicap.

Steering Will Victory is Ben Bromley, a significant engagement in itself because Bromley has a very useful 7lbs claim and has won three times in eight attempts on Fry's hurdlers.

Bromley has also ridden two winners and a second from his last three bookings, with one of those being an easy four-length win aboard Lightly Squeeze, a handicap hurdler also trained by Fry.

12:30 (Sedgefield) Will Victory

Will Victory arrived from the Newland yard towards the end of October, and made her stable debut at Hereford less than a week later.

It was her first run after a 329-day break, during which she also underwent wind surgery, so she would almost certainly have needed the run, and it was also no doubt a fact-finding mission for her new connections.
Interestingly, she was prominent in the market and she would have finished a lot closer than her fifth place but for lacking the finishing speed to trouble the higher-rated principals from the back of the field.

Connections quickly deduced that a bare two miles on a tight track like Hereford was too sharp a test for Will Victory, but she wasn't given anything like a hard time, ridden hands-and-heels throughout the closing stages and eased home nicely.

This appears to be an easier race, the longer trip on a stiffer track will clearly suit, and she is down another 4lbs, which is a full 22lbs lower than she was this time two seasons ago.

Only three hurdling outings have come in that period and one of those was her stable debut a month ago.`

After leaving an out-of-form yard, Will Victory's early promise could well be rejuvenated by this switch to Fry's successful operation, and she might just be the trainer's main reason for his marathon trip from Dorset.

Of the others, Regal Renaissance is Henry Daly's only runner to make the 389-mile round trip from Shropshire, and she makes her handicap debut after just three outings to date, only two of which have been over hurdles.
She improved from her hurdling debut to finish fourth of nine in a two-mile mares' maiden at Ludlow early last month, and given her scope for further progress, she is likely to be suited by today's longer trip.