Melrose date on Mambo Nights radar

York next ahead of possible St Leger bid.

Mambo Nights could take in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York ahead of a potential outing next month’s St Leger at Doncaster.

Trainer Richard Hannon believes the extended one-mile-five-furlong prize on August 22 is the ideal race for the son of Havana Gold to test his credentials for the final Classic of the season.

Having failed to win in four outings last year, Mambo Nights is unbeaten in three starts this season, notching up victories at Sandown and Ripon before scoring at Goodwood on Wednesday.

Hannon said: “I might go to York for the Melrose.

It wouldn’t surprise me if he turns out to be a St Leger horse as he will get further than a mile and a half.

“He always manages to find just enough in his races, but he is easy to deal with as he has a lovely temperament and seems to be on an upwards curve.

“He was never going to be a two-year-old and he is very much a horse for next year as well.

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While Hannon will receive the plaudits for changing the fortunes of Mambo Nights, he feels much of his transformation is down to the efforts of jump jockey Kieron Edgar.

He added: “A lot of credit has to go to Kieron Edgar.

He was riding out a lot for us during lockdown and he did a lot of work with Mambo Nights.

“Both he and Steve Knight, one of our senior head lads, having been raving about how the horse is improving all the time.”

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