Horse Racing: Monsieur Joe has that certain je ne sais quoi about him to come good at Leicester

Monsieur JOE has been set some stiff tasks this year but he definitely has enough about him to land the Prestwold Conditions Stakes at Leicester.

Walter Swinburn’s Choisir gelding enjoyed a highly successful campaign in 2010, with a course and distance triumph featuring among three victories.

The four-year-old headed out to Dubai for the winter and acquitted himself with great credit in a number of highly competitive sprints, getting close to Happy Dubai a couple of times and finishing not too far behind King’s Stand winner Prohibit one one occasion. He was only narrowly beaten on his return to Europe at Ascot in May and there was no disgrace in being beaten in a race won by the top-class Bated Breath at Windsor last time.

Having missed an assignment at Beverley last month due to unsuitable conditions, Monsieur Joe will take plenty of beating if fit enough.

There was plenty of encouragement to be taken from Buzkashi’s recent debut and she should get off the mark in division one of the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

The subsequent success of the runner-up Rhythmic gives the form a very solid look and with normal progress Buzkashi looks a sound bet to go a couple of places better. Buzkashi’s trainer Roger Varian should also find the target at Lingfield, with Emkanaat strongly fancied to recoup the losses of an expensive debut defeat. Plenty was seemingly expected of the three-year-old at Warwick but he could not pick up when it mattered and had to make do with in third. The step up to seven furlongs in the Brand New ATR Predictor Maiden Stakes looks sure to suit and he can reward those who keep the faith.