16:05 York

Thursday 18 May 2017

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:3517:0517:35

Betfred TV Hambleton Handicap (Listed)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 1m 35.96s

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(15)

Thikriyaat²⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Jim Crowley| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 109| BF| D

13/2

Well placed to win four of his six starts including a Group Three at Goodwood in July. Has won fresh in both seasons that he has run and goes on any ground. Has the draw to overcome, but otherwise he is one of the least exposed runners here and looks sure to give a very good account.

Form: 1/11215-

(11)

Bravery²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 105| D

20/1

Both wins have been over a mile, the most recent being first time out this season when he saw off 21 opponents at Doncaster (good to soft). Unable to compete at Group Three level last time, but back in this grade and from 5lb higher than on Town Moor he could still have the ability to get involved.

Form: 0540-17

(5)

White Lake^b1³²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 103| C

11/1

Won a maiden here (7f, good) on debut almost three years ago but has clearly not been easy to train, having raced only four more times for Luca Cumani and twice for this yard. Reappears here from a good draw and with headgear on, with a market check advised, though would probably need to be spot on to be winning this first time back.

Form: 4735/66-

(12)

Here Comes When^h¹⁸³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 103| D

10/1

Former Group Two winner, but that seems like a long time ago and has won just once since in a four-runner conditions affair at Bath in September. Stable going well and he has dropped to a handy mark, but clearly carries risks until we see signs of a more consistent revival.

Form: 365104-

(20)

Top Notch Tonto^t¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: B A Curtis| T: B Ellison| OR: 101| CD

16/1

Most recent win for him was in the Listed Ganton Stakes here in June 2015 (C&D, good to soft) when he was rated 108. Goes on any ground, but just hasn't shown enough from similar marks to today's in recent starts to suggest that he can overcome the widest draw of all to win this.

Form: 002-004

(9)

Victory Bond³³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: P Cosgrave| T: W J Haggas| OR: 100

8/1

Won a 1m2f Ripon maiden 13 months ago (good to soft), when he looked useful. Beaten 9L in last year's Dante on his next run, he was also held in a French Group Three on his only other start. Since gelded and returns with yard among winners and should get the strong pace he will need. Unexposed and interesting.

Form: 2/164-

(18)

Get Knotted^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: P Mulrennan| T: M Dods| OR: 100| C| D

25/1

Scored from a big field here over 7f in July (good to firm) from 8lb lower but improved to go very close on his last run of the year at Doncaster (6f, good) from just 2lb lower than today. Should be better for a pipe-opener, handles most ground and stays 1m, so the main sticking points are his yard's form and his draw.

Form: 33202-6

(8)

Donncha²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: P J Smullen| T: R Eddery| OR: 100| D

13/2

Remains 8lb higher than his best winning mark (7f, good to firm, in 2015), but certainly very competitive from today's mark of 100 as evidenced by his ½L third at Doncaster last month (good to soft). Goes on any ground and not badly drawn, so has to enter calculations.

Form: 3894-37

(3)

Murad Khan²⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: W Buick| T: H Palmer| OR: 99| D

9/1

Well beaten in Listed company when last seen in October but had won three in a row prior to that (all over 1m). Conditions no concern and if you can forgive him that final start then he looks unexposed going into this. Could make a good fist of defying this 7lb higher mark from a decent draw. Prominent style of racing should suit this venue.

Form: 3/1118-

(13)

Another Touch²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 97| D

11/1

5lb higher than when winning a class two handicap at Newmarket in August and went very close over C&D in October (good). Continued his progress when going down by just ½L (1m, good to firm) from 1lb lower at Newbury last month and he is another with decent each-way claims, his draw being the main cause for concern.

Form: 1582-02

(10)

Cote d'Azur¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: J L Eyre| OR: 97| C| D

20/1

Stays 1m2f but is very effective over this trip too and won the Thirsk Hunt Cup over 1m (good to firm) just 12 days ago. Versatile tactically, which is a plus here. Can't be ruled out from 4lb higher, though this race is a fair bit deeper than the one just up the road and he needs to take another stride forward to follow-up.

Form: 224-951

(7)

Instant Attraction⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: J Garritty| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 97| D

10/1

10lb higher than when last winning at Ripon almost two years ago (1m, soft). One or two bit of form last year might give him an each-way shout here, but even then he would need to up his game in this class rise and has a fair bit to find to do so on the evidence of his Doncaster return last month.

Form: 82270-0

(1)

Chelsea Lad²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: R Kingscote| T: M Meade| OR: 96| BF| D

11/2

Has run well first time out in both of the last two years, but pulled up lame on this year's return at Newbury last month. That was hardly ideal preparation for a tough assignment like this, but otherwise he is completely unexposed, conditions are no problem and he has the inside draw. If he can make the most of that then he could have a big say.

Form: 1/21-P

(17)

Home Cummins^p²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Sammy Jo Bell| T: R A Fahey| OR: 94| CD

25/1

8lb higher here than when scoring over C&D in July (good) and wasn't far away from a repeat in October when beaten just a head from 4lb lower and a wide draw. Clearly needs to raise her game to win from this high in the handicap and would have liked to have seen a bit more from recent return to believe that she can find it.

Form: 36523-0

(19)

Glory Awaits^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: Harry Bentley| T: D M Simcock| OR: 93| D

33/1

Further glory has been awaited since his last success in 2014 and although he ran well from this mark it wasn't good enough to win a weaker event at Chepstow last season. Yarmouth comeback run didn't inspire and with a wide draw to overcome others are readily preferred.

Form: 00628-8

(14)

Havre De Paix²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: F Norton| T: D Menuisier| OR: 92| D

50/1

Sole success came over this trip in maiden company at Chelmsford last year and was beaten just 1L in a French Listed contest later in the campaign. Recent Newbury return left plenty to work on, however, and not easy to enthuse about her chance today.

Form: 96450-0

(6)

Strong Steps^p³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: A Mullen| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 90| D

50/1

2-17 with both wins being at Chelmsford over 1m. 6lb higher than the only success that came in a handicap (when trained by Hugo Palmer) and unless there is marked improvement on his two runs this season he won't be winning this.

Form: 3516-60

Non-Runners

(16)

Firmament¹⁵

Weight: 9-7| Age: 5

T: D O'Meara J: Josh Doyle

(4)

Keystroke³⁴

Weight: 9-1| Age: 5

T: J Noseda J: Non Runner

(2)

Can't Change It²¹⁹

Weight: 8-9| Age: 6

T: D M Simcock J: J P Spencer

Forecasts

Chelsea Lad (11/2), Thikriyaat (13/2), Donncha (13/2), Victory Bond (8/1), Murad Khan (9/1), Here Comes When (10/1), Instant Attraction (10/1), Firmament (10/1), Another Touch (11/1), White Lake (11/1), Keystroke (12/1), Top Notch Tonto (16/1), Can't Change It (16/1), Cote d'Azur (20/1), Bravery (20/1), Get Knotted (25/1), Home Cummins (25/1), Glory Awaits (33/1), Havre De Paix (50/1), Strong Steps (50/1)

Seven of the last 10 winners have come from stall four or lower, although with two from 16 it can also be done from wider if things drop right. Some seasoned pros turn up again here as well as several whose best days are ahead of them, one of which looks likely to be Chelsea Lad, who could go well if he is over what ailed him at Nottingham. Can't Change It should have conditions to his liking and is another well drawn, while connections of Murad Khan take up the challenge from a 7lb higher mark than his last win and may be rewarded. Donncha, Victory Bond and Keystroke are others of interest in an open heat, but preference is for THIKRIYAAT. Admittedly he does have a poor draw, but otherwise there is a lot to like about his chance and he may have too much class for the opposition.