15:25 Ripon

Thursday 20 April 2017

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3017:0517:3518:05

PPR Foundation Handicap

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 1m 11.81s

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(12)

Alkhor⁹^{(ex 6)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Tom Marquand| T: R Hannon| OR: 82

11/2

Stuck on well to win over this trip at Lingfield last week and has to shoulder a 6lb penalty as a result. Has won on good to firm on turf and has solid claims in his follow-up bid, though draw not ideal.

Form: 717-133

(3)

Dragon King¹⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: P Hanagan| T: I Jardine| OR: 85

13/2

Losing run extends to 10 races but has a C&D success on good to soft to his name from this card a couple of years ago. Still 10lb higher than that despite no win since August 2015 but has been competitive from higher than today and may well have a say on first start for stable going well.

Form: 00020-0

(5)

Gabrial The Tiger¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Adam J McNamara⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 84

16/1

Has won at least once in all three seasons he has been racing and completed a hat-trick last summer, all of 7f. Sole 6f win was in 2014 and has barely been tried over it in recent times. Likes to bowl along and may have enough pace to be a leading contender from decent draw. Goes on any ground.

Form: 1606-00

(11)

Rantan²⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: P Makin| T: T D Barron| OR: 83

15/2

Won a Redcar maiden on his second career start in 201 (soft), but frustrating to follow last year, finishing runner-up in all three outings, including over C&D (good) on his reappearance. 1lb higher than his last race for this year's return and open to further improvement.

Form: 6/3222-9

(1)

Straightothepoint¹⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Connor Beasley| T: B Smart| OR: 82

5/1

One of his three career wins came over C&D (good) last May and he is 3lb higher today. Ended last season with a decent performance at Nottingham in first-time cheek pieces. No headgear today, but goes well fresh and plumb stands side draw makes him an attractive proposition.

Form: 72342-2

(10)

Mywayistheonlyway²²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: P Aspell| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 81

66/1

Won three times for Martyn Meade from 6f-7f, the best of those from a mark of 75. Beaten a long way in both runs for this yard last year and reappears on a mark that looks plenty tough enough. Looks best watched.

Form: 48177-0

(4)

Royal Connoisseur¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Sammy Jo Bell⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 80

9/1

A consistent improver for the best part of 18 months until lately, though handicapper now looks like he has taken the measure of the gelding, who is 15lb higher than when scoring over C&D last year. More improvement needed to be winning this.

Form: 4117-78

(6)

Eastern Racer^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Ben Robinson⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 80

12/1

All three wins have been at this trip and he starts here from the same mark as the most recent of those, at Thirsk in June. Comfortably accounted for in all but one start since, but had a recent pipe-opener at Doncaster and can't rule him out at a track where he has already gone close.

Form: 0350-06

(14)

Best Trip^t¹²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 9-2| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Marjorie Fife| OR: 80

33/1

Has won 12-82, which is no mean strike rate in these sort of contests. Goes on any ground and effective from 5f up to 7f. Comes into this 4lb lower than his last win and not ruled out.

Form: 0007-00

(13)

Honeysuckle Lil^p¹⁸⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Rachel Richardson⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 78

40/1

Made all to win a soft ground C&D handicap a couple of seasons ago and scored at Hamilton in September on heavy from a mark of 75. 3lb higher today and has never won when fresh, so this looks competitive enough to be trying to overcome those factors.

Form: 4109-44

(9)

Taskeen²²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Ben Sanderson⁽⁷⁾| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 78

66/1

Won a 1m Sandown maiden (soft) in September 2015 and found Listed company too hot next time. Last of eight only sole start since then at Leicester seven months ago and has since left Richard Hannon. Yard in decent form, but this would be some training performance to have him ready to win first time back.

Form: 710/8-73

(7)

Magical Effect²²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 77

9/2

Consistent if frustrating, with one win and a beaten favourite no fewer than four times. Scored over 5f at Thirsk in a maiden last July (good to soft) but ran well despite defeats in two handicaps back there. Same mark today for reappearance and if handling middle draw he should be thereabouts.

Form: 2132-12

(2)

Still On Top^h²³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 75

33/1

Scored on debut at Pontefract in 2015 (6f, good) and was competitive in Listed company later that year. Couldn't repeat that sort of form in handicaps last season, sliding 21lb to today's pitch. Gelded since last run and would be very interesting if supported.

Form: 00700-5

(15)

Salvatore Fury^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: A Mullen| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 72

14/1

6lb better off with Alkhor for a 1L defeat by that opponent at Lingfield last time. Decent draw here and has won from 2lb higher a couple of years ago, so ought to get competitive.

Form: 676206

Non-Runners

(8)

Dandyleekie¹⁷⁷

Weight: 9-1| Age: 5

T: D O'Meara J: D Tudhope

Forecasts

Magical Effect (9/2), Straightothepoint (5/1), Alkhor (11/2), Dragon King (13/2), Dandyleekie (7/1), Rantan (15/2), Royal Connoisseur (9/1), Eastern Racer (12/1), Salvatore Fury (14/1), Gabrial The Tiger (16/1), Still On Top (33/1), Best Trip (33/1), Honeysuckle Lil (40/1), Taskeen (66/1), Mywayistheonlyway (66/1)

Dandyleekie goes well fresh and took this last year. He can make a bold bid to defy a 3lb higher mark, though his draw is not ideal and we suggest taking him on with STRAIGHTOTHEPOINT. Bryan Smart's five-year-old is also 3lb higher than a C&D win last year and also goes well fresh, while his stands side draw looks more attractive. Still On Top requires a market check, while Rantan, Gabrial The Tiger and Dragon King all have points of recommendation in a competitive heat.