Lavender Green Flowers Handicap

Off time: 18:42 | Winning time: 2m 9.44s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Fast And Hot^b⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Tina M Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: R Hannon| OR: 74| CD

5/2

Has won both previous starts here and shoulders a penalty for last week's comfortable success. Up in grade and clearly a much better horse with a decent gallop. Should have the race run to suit and any further rain will make him more attractive.

Form: 511421

(2)

Western Duke⁷⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: P J Dobbs| T: R M Beckett| OR: 87

5/4

Ran Permian to ¾L as a juvenile and has improved with each run this term. Came up against a couple of smart types last time and this is far less competitive. Stable are 11-44 with three-year-old handicappers around here during July-August.

Form: 512-783

(3)

Apres Midi¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Harry Bentley| T: K R Burke| OR: 76

4/1

Below par on each of her last two starts but has obvious claims on last year's form which includes the defeat of an 85 rated horse in a maiden. Worth noting if the market suggests her recent problems are behind her.

Form: 21-3368

(4)

X Rated¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 78| D

5/1

Justified favouritism when making all to score over an extended mile at Wolverhampton back in November and was subsequently gelded. Has steadily come to hand this term and made all to win well over this trip at Bath earlier this month. Readily outpointed off this mark last time and has plenty to find.

Form: 1-56715

Non-Runners

(5)

Glorious Forever³⁸

Weight: 9-5| Age: 3

T: E Walker J: J P Spencer

Forecasts

Western Duke (5/4), Fast And Hot (5/2), Glorious Forever (7/2), Apres Midi (4/1), X Rated (5/1)

Fast And Hot is unbeaten on his two previous starts here but faces a much sterner test this time and may be worth opposing with two younger horses opposing him on attractive weights. Western Duke ran the top-class Permian to less than a length last term and ran his best race of the year here in May when finding two well-handicapped horses too good. A 77 day absence suggests he has had problems since and preference is for GLORIOUS FOREVER. His trainer has a 50 percent strike rate here with his three year-old handicappers during the summer months and his form at Sandown and Doncaster this season suggests he is up to landing this.