THE David Evans stable has had a fairly quiet summer, but now they may be returning to form.

At Wolverhampton on Saturday evening their three runners yielded two wins and a second place.

Kodiline was given a patient ride by Hollie Doyle in a six furlong dash. The leaders went off plenty fast enough, and when they faded in the home straight Kodiline and one of the other back markers ran on well to fill the first two places. Doyle came wide and avoided some traffic congestion.

The gelding had good form as a juvenile two summers ago for Clive Cox, but he wasn’t the same last year and with no sign of improvement he was sold in July and joined Evans’ yard.

Four quick runs, the most recent three over a mile, and the 18/1 starting price didn’t suggest he was about to turn a corner. He’s rated a long way below his best two-year-old form and it’s anyone’s guess how much of his old ability is still in the locker.

The stable’s next runner, Daily Trader, was made favourite, but he was turned over by an unexposed 20/1 shot who was having his second run since – coincidentally – leaving Clive Cox’s yard.

Evans’ three-year-old Brockey Rise has been kept busy, running 25 times in 16 months, mostly over six furlongs. The first of his three wins came at Thirsk last year when visored for the first time. The headgear didn’t have much of an effect in his next three races and was left off for a while. When it was reinstated in February he ran second and then won at Wolverhampton. Again, the positive effect wore off after that.

Blinkers were tried three runs ago, since when his form has been 231. Saturday evening’s success was over seven furlongs, with Rossa Ryan on board. Like Kodiline, he came from last to first off a strong pace. He seems to do best in his first two or three runs after a change of headgear. Those three wins have come at odds of 12/1, 12/1 and 11/1.

Push The Tempo won his third race in a row for Robert Stephens on Friday at Newton Abbot.

He joined the Penhow stable after coming good in an Irish point-to-point in February.

The £12,000 purchase is unbeaten since, winning a bumper, a maiden hurdle and now a novice hurdle by nine lengths, despite carrying a penalty. Again, headgear has helped. Stephens has fitted him with a hood each time he has run.

David Probert won the first race of the Ayr Gold Cup fixture on Lariat for his principal stable, that of Andrew Balding, but despite a full book of rides the best he could manage for the rest of the meeting was two second places.

Chepstow is having its usual early autumn break from racing, which resumes with the big Jump Season Opener on Saturday and Sunday 13-14 October.

This meeting goes from strength to strength, as numerous good horses have run at it in the past; Cue Card, Native River, Altior and Sire De Grugy to name but a few.