In the Totetrifecta Pick The 1, 2, 3, Handicap (6.15) at Chelmsford on Thursday, Merritt Island has officially improved by 35lb since making her seasonal debut at Bath last May and may be able to resume winning ways. The daughter of Exceed And Excel was far from disgraced when second, beaten 2 lengths, behind Helisa at La Teste de Buch in September and was beaten the same margin by the 109-rated Fire Fighting, despite an interrupted passage, in a conditions stakes race over course and distance four weeks ago.

Fire Fighting gave that form a boost when winning the Listed Carlingford Stakes at Dundalk by 5 lengths a week or so later, albeit at odds-on, so Merritt Island still looks feasibly weighted off her current mark of 98 back in a handicap. Sir Mark Prescott Bt has a healthy 134-446 (30%) strike rate with his 3-year-olds in handicaps over the last five seasons, for a level stakes profit of 51.68 points, so there is every reason for positivity.

Selection: Chelmsford 6.15 Merritt Island to win