Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)

Elite Status is all the rage for this after a 5L win in the National Stakes at Sandown. He beat stable companion World Of Darcy who ran in the Windsor Castle yesterday and was beaten 10L finishing in thirteenth place.

The Windsor was a 23-runner affair with the field splitting, most coming up the stand side where the pace was, with six going up the far rail. Alabama finished fifth leading the group on the far side beaten 4¼L by the winner.

On debut at Cork in April, Alabama was no match for Paddy Toomey’s Noche Magica when beaten 4½L over 5f on heavy ground.

Paddy Toomey stepped Noche Magica up to 6f for the Marble Hill at the Curragh where he went down a head to Givemethebeatboys (finished 4th beaten 1¾L by River Tiber in the Coventry on Tuesday) in a tight finish. He came to win the race but just failed.

Stepping back here to 5f looks like a positive move and given the form line with Alabama, he could well be the measure of the favourite here.

Recommendation

Noche Magica 10/1 ew