Weatherbys General Stud Book Handicap

Off time: 15:40 | Winning time: 1m 39.24s

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(4)

Gurkha Friend¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: S De Sousa| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 91| CD

11/8

His last three wins have been here over 1m/1m1f and it was over the latter trip that he made all to win last month. An 8lb rise looks steep, but it puts him just 1lb higher than one of his wins here last year, so he could again go very close.

Form: 8007-71

(7)

Trading Point¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 90| BF| D

8/1

Improved form when scoring at Beverley (1m½f, good) on his reappearance and following up from 6lb higher at Musselburgh, making all. Reported to have boiled over before being well beaten by Gurkha Friend here last time, but feared if back on song.

Form: 1/80-116

(2)

Dawaaleeb^v²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: J L Eyre| OR: 90| D

5/2

In good form this spring, winning at Newcastle (1m, AW) in March and again at Beverley (1m½f, good to firm) last time. Up 7lb for the latter, but still going the right way and enters calculations.

Form: 31-1331

(5)

Frank Bridge¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: J Fanning| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 88| D

14/1

Ran well here in April when beaten less than 3L from this mark. 1m and good/good to soft ground suits. Out of sorts at Sandown last time and more is needed to be winning this.

Form: 306-020

(1)

Zodiakos^p⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 85| D

9/1

3lb higher than his most recent win, at Redcar (1m, good to soft) in August. Was not far off that level of form at Beverley last month and acts on good ground, but likely to be found wanting again in this company.

Form: 1860-30

(6)

Two For Two^p³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-0| J: Cam Hardie| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 84| CD

28/1

Scored over C&D (good) in 2013. All three wins since then have been over this trip at Ayr. Conditions are fine for him, he is 4lb lower than his last success, but his form since then suggests he has each-way claims at best.

Form: 43870-5

(3)

Storm Ahead²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 81| D

9/1

2-16 and scored over this trip at Salisbury in 2016 when with Marcus Tregoning. Was beaten just over 2L at Ascot last September from 9lb higher, so if he can improve on what we have seen from him this season, then he has claims.

Form: 027-079

Forecasts

Gurkha Friend (11/8), Dawaaleeb (5/2), Trading Point (8/1), Storm Ahead (9/1), Zodiakos (9/1), Frank Bridge (14/1), Two For Two (28/1)

Gurkha Friend loves it here and was again seen to good effect when stringing out his field last time. An 8lb rise makes it tougher, but he should again go close. Trading Point blew his chance before the gates went back for that race. He was well backed to complete a hat-trick there and if you can forgive him those antics then he must have a serious chance with that weight pull with the winner. However, STORM AHEAD has slid in the weights after three defeats since joining Tim Easterby. He knows his way around here after running here in two of those three and he has dropped to a mark from which he looks capable of striking.