19:25 Chelmsford City

Wednesday 10 May 2017

All17:5518:2518:5519:2519:5520:2520:55

totepool Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week Handicap

Off time: 19:27 | Winning time: 1m 24.35s

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(8)

That Is The Spirit¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 99

9/2

One time Listed winner who made all under top-weight to narrowly deny Rusumaat by a neck in a C&D Class 3 handicap last month, with several of these rivals behind. Up 4lb and in grade, but has tended to go well early in the season in previous years, and runners from this yard always command much respect.

Form: 07169-1

(9)

Outer Space¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: T J Murphy| T: J A Osborne| OR: 92

14/1

Met trouble in running when fifth to That Is The Spirit over C&D last month. 5lb better off with that rival tonight, so impossible to readily dismiss despite remaining 6lb higher than his C&D victory in February.

Form: 012257

(7)

Basil Berry^b²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: S De Sousa| T: C A Dwyer| OR: 92

8/1

Dropped 2lb since finishing sixth in a reasonable 6F handicap won by Solar Flair at Kempton on his return to action last month. However, was a shade fractious in the stalls that day and often finds one or two too good despite being versatile between trips ranging from 6F to 1m.

Form: 41440-6

(4)

Viscount Barfield^h¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 91

3/1

Beaten around 2L when fourth to That Is The Spirit over C&D last month. He kept on late in the race that day but never quite had the pace to get involved and might well be better suited by a strongly run race. Renews rivalry on 5lb better terms.

Form: 4162-64

(5)

Mount Tahan¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 91

5/1

Ran an excellent race when 2L third to Rene Mathis in a 7F Thirsk Conditions Stakes last month, following on from finishing fifth in the Spring Mile at Doncaster. Unexposed on the AW (second on his sole start over 1m here in June 2015), this seemingly improving sort looks on a competitive mark (91).

Form: 1254-53

(3)

Golden Amber¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Lulu Stanford⁽⁵⁾| T: D K Ivory| OR: 90

7/1

Was in really good form in 2015, winning three out of five in one spell, the best of them from 6lb higher than here. Has been consistent in defeat on most occasions since, hence only a marginal decline in the weights. Should again be competitive from today's mark.

Form: 5-44754

(2)

Loyalty^v¹³

Age: 10| Weight: 8-11| J: Martin Lane| T: D Shaw| OR: 89

14/1

A grand campaigner down the years, winning 15 times from 83 starts on the AW but generally best served by running over 1m. Well behind That Is The Spirit on his latest outing over C&D, he appears to need more than 5lb revised terms to gain his revenge despite meeting trouble in the run.

Form: 421459

(6)

Hammer Gun^v³³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: L Morris| T: D Shaw| OR: 85

7/1

Formerly with Sir Michael Stoute but has really thrived since joining his current yard, winning four races on synthetics with a degree of ease. The winning run came to an end at Kempton recently when fourth to Believe It, and he's another 4lb higher here, which is a combined rise of 27lb since winning at Southwell in March.

Form: 0-11114

(1)

Welliesinthewater^v¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: Kieren Fox| T: D Shaw| OR: 84

14/1

Dual course winner during March 2017 (7F and 1m), but those victories came in Class 4 and 5 events and this race is much stronger. Needs a career best to defy a new mark of 84 having been set a difficult task from the rear when never competitive over 1m here latest.

Form: 09-9119

Forecasts

Viscount Barfield (3/1), That Is The Spirit (9/2), Mount Tahan (5/1), Golden Amber (7/1), Hammer Gun (7/1), Basil Berry (8/1), Welliesinthewater (14/1), Loyalty (14/1), Outer Space (14/1)

A strong handicap where the key piece of form is the Class 3 race won by That Is The Spirit over C&D last month. The David O'Meara trained gelding had the run of the race that day, but managed to defeat Viscount Barfield, Outer Space and Loyalty amongst others. A subsequent 4lb rise probably isn't enough in itself to stop him following up, but the appearance of MOUNT TAHAN just might be. This seemingly improving five-year-old has run two excellent races in 2017 on turf, and an unexposed sort on synthetics, his recent third placed effort in a Thirsk Conditions Stakes (if taken literally) implies that his current handicap mark of 91 is exploitable.