15:25 Ascot

Friday 13 July 2018

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:40

Close Brothers Property Finance Handicap

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 3m 2.84s

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Selected odds by:

(7)

Alqamar^p³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: B Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 92

7/2

Eased in grade slightly after a couple of fairly solid third placed efforts over this trip at Newmarket (Class 2); the slight concern being that he's managed to win just once in eleven starts; trainer doubly represented.

Form: 258-333

(4)

Star Of The East¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Jane Elliott⁽³⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 91| D

6/1

Low-key effort in the Northumberland Vase latest (debatable as to whether he stays 2m), but is a five-time winner, including over this trip on heavy ground; goes well for this rider (2 from 3), but handicap mark looks to be high enough.

Form: 219360

(3)

Sam Missile^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Nicola Currie⁽³⁾| T: J A Osborne| OR: 91| C

25/1

Midfield AW finish in the Northumberland Vase latest, but arrives with C&D winning form as a shock 25/1 scorer in May; 7lb above his last winning mark, but handles conditions and wasn't disgraced in the 2m4f Ascot Stakes (11th of 19) penultimate.

Form: 723100

(2)

White Desert^p²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: A Kirby| T: C Appleby| OR: 90| D

3/1

220,000gns foal; lightly raced and open to further improvement; bumped up 8lb for a striking Wolverhampton win (1m6f) in May and whilst probably not staying wasn't discredited in the 2m4f Ascot Stakes latest (12th of 19); trainer doubly represented.

Form: 15-2310

(6)

Golden Birthday^t³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Fran Berry| T: H Fry| OR: 88

8/1

Progressive last season, winning five on the bounce (hurdles and Flat) after scoring at Newton Abbot in July; handicapper seems to have slowed his progress this term, and has something to find with Alqamar on recent Newmarket form.

Form: 111-556

(5)

Machine Learner⁶²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: J Tuite| OR: 87| D

12/1

Yet to win above a Class 4 handicap and sits 5lb above his last winning mark (Sandown in June 2017). On the plus side, he could potentially progress for his comeback run here in May.

Form: 24270-0

(1)

C'Est No Mour¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Rob Hornby| T: P Hedger| OR: 84

12/1

Progressive last summer winning four of his five starts between June and September (1m2f-1m4f), but essentially disappointing at Newbury latest (beaten 11L), and has stamina to prove.

Form: 16-0823

(8)

Hawkerland¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Hayley Turner| T: M P Tregoning| OR: 76

10/3

Not fully exposed and whilst his two wins have come in Class 5 contests, he has proved that he's a rock-solid stayer up to 2m; finished just over 5L third to Okool on seasonal reappearance at Salisbury last month (1m6f, good to firm).

Form: 41100-3

Forecasts

White Desert (3/1), Hawkerland (10/3), Alqamar (7/2), Star Of The East (6/1), Golden Birthday (8/1), Machine Learner (12/1), C'Est No Mour (12/1), Sam Missile (25/1)

Alqamar heads the weights for a reason having acquitted himself fairly well in Class 2 Newmarket handicaps, but there remains that nagging doubt as to whether or not he'll really go through with his effort if the winning opportunity presents. Hawkerland stays very well and although yet to win outside of Class 5 company isn't fully exposed and could run into a place at decent odds, but a tentative votes goes to the stablemate of Alqamar. The lightly raced WHITE DESERT blew away lesser opposition over this trip on the AW in May, before seemingly not staying the marathon 2m4f trip in the Ascot Stakes latest.