16:45 Newbury

Friday 18 May 2018

All13:3014:0014:3515:0515:4016:1516:4517:20

John Sunley Memorial Handicap

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 2m 21.64s

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Selected odds by:

(7)

King's Proctor⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: R Kingscote| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 86

9/4

Beaten 5L (third) by Rostropovich in the 1m2f Listed Dee Stakes at Chester last week meaning that his handicap mark is about to take a direct hit. Fast improving and this rates as his last chance in this grade.

Form: 51-223

(8)

Mandalayan²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Rob Hornby| T: J G Portman| OR: 85

14/1

Not raced beyond 1m so far but shapes as if he'll stay further. Finished a fair sixth to Breath Caught at Newmarket on his first start of the year on turf last month (1m good).

Form: 2-136

(2)

Night Story⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 83| BF

8/1

500,000 gns son of Shamardal who makes his first foray in public away from Lingfied Park, being a winner there on his second start in March, beating Yabass by 1½L. No reason as to why turf racing won't suit.

Form: 213

(3)

Caspar The Cub²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: M Harley| T: A King| OR: 82| BF

9/1

Placed on all three starts on synthetics (1m1f+ to 1m2f), but beaten at short odds in a Lingfield maiden latest by Shailene.

Form: 232

(4)

Westbrook Bertie¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Charles Bishop| T: M R Channon| OR: 81

16/1

Well beaten by King's Proctor at Nottingham in November (by 7½L), but showed improved form to score at Salisbury on his seasonal reappearance last month (1m2f heavy), making all to beat today's rival First Eleven by 3+L.

Form: 93F4-1

(9)

Starcaster¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Charlie Bennett⁽³⁾| T: H Morrison| OR: 78

13/2

Consistent and has made the frame on all three starts (1m-1m1f+), but equally doesn't appear to be improving at a rate of knots. That said, it's still early days and this new trip could bring about more improvement.

Form: 33-3

(6)

First Eleven¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 77| BF

8/1

Well bred son of Frankel who finished runner up over 1m here in late October, beaten 2¾L by Extra Elusive (novice stakes). Put in his place by Westbrook Bertie at Salisbury more latterly, but ground conditions will differ markedly today.

Form: 962-2

(1)

Berkshire Royal⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Jason Watson⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 72

3/1

Thriving over the past six weeks since shedding the maiden tag at Wolverhampton (1m1f+). Lines up 6lb well-in after a rock-solid ½L second to Austrian School (stablemate of King's Proctor) at Chester last week; 1m4f good.

Form: 655-112

Non-Runners

(5)

Delsheer²³

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: H Palmer J: Josephine Gordon

Forecasts

King's Proctor (9/4), Berkshire Royal (3/1), Starcaster (13/2), First Eleven (8/1), Night Story (8/1), Caspar The Cub (9/1), Mandalayan (14/1), Westbrook Bertie (16/1), Delsheer (16/1)

The handicapper has forced the hand of both Mark Johnston and Andrew Balding who turn out King's Proctor and BERKSHIRE ROYAL quickly after rock-solid efforts at Chester last week before their revised marks kick into action. The former finished third to Rostropovich in the Dee Stakes, so obviously that rates as much stronger form than the selection's defeat by stablemate Austrian School (handicap). However, with nagging doubts about the stamina of the Johnston trained runner over 1m4f and 19lb between the pair at the weights, the Balding trained runner is just preferred.

Berkshire Royal
King's Proctor
First Eleven

Previous Winners

2017

Mount Moriah

Weight: 9-3 |Age: 3

J: Harry Bentley | T: R M Beckett

8/1

Prize Money

1st: £6,728.002nd: £2,002.003rd: £1,000.004th: £500.005th: £300.006th: £300.007th: £300.008th: £300.00

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