20:00 Epsom Downs

Thursday 2 August 2018

All17:4518:2018:5519:3020:0020:30

Smarkets Betting Exchange Handicap

Off time: 20:02 | Winning time: 1m 42.75s

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Selected odds by:

(6)

Kingston Kurrajong²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: S De Sousa| T: W J Knight| OR: 79

5/1

Something of a Kempton regular, winning over 1m there in June, but has also won twice on turf. Below best last time, but top jockey booked here, so no surprise to see hi bounce back to form.

Form: 336148

(2)

Kenstone^p²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Tom Marquand| T: A Wintle| OR: 77

16/1

Won three handicaps for current yard in 2017 when largely progressive, but he hasn't got close to the pick of his best so far this year, and opposable in current form.

Form: 708-060

(4)

Macaque^h¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Watson⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 82

11/4

Keen going sort who has a tendency to hang left under pressure , and found himself on unfavoured rail when a creditable third of 7 to Liva here last time. Better than that bare form, and much respected if he can keep straight.

Form: 4-26923

(3)

Pursuing Steed³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Charlie Bennett⁽³⁾| T: H Morrison| OR: 71

20/1

Won four on the bounce last summer, and has slipped below the last of those winning marks. Not seen to best effect on last two starts, and not one to take lightly now.

Form: 7-04045

(7)

Hedging^p³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Charles Bishop| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 71

14/1

All of his best form is over shorter than this, and ran poorly in a first-time visor at Kempton last time. Not firing on all cylinders prior to that, either, so perhaps best to look elsewhere despite change of headgear.

Form: 56-1540

(8)

Chess Move³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: P Cosgrave| T: George Baker| OR: 78| C

8/1

Won over 6f here last July, and bounced back from a poor run when 2¾L fifth of 14 to Lawmaking at Kempton (1m) last time. Place claims if he can back that effort up.

Form: 8-47205

(5)

Arigato^p⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Josephine Gordon| T: W Jarvis| OR: 71

6/5

Won at Newmarket in May, and benefited from front-running ride when scoring by a big margin at Sandown last week. Holds very strong form claims under a penalty, assuming this doesn't come too soon.

Form: 013221

Non-Runners

(1)

Magillen⁴⁹

Weight: 9-11| Age: 4

T: C Hills J: R Winston

Forecasts

Arigato (6/5), Macaque (11/4), Kingston Kurrajong (5/1), Magillen (7/1), Chess Move (8/1), Hedging (14/1), Kenstone (16/1), Pursuing Steed (20/1)

He did get the run of things at Sandown last week, but ARIGATO ran out an impressive winner, and a penalty is unlikely to stop him if he's in the same form. Pursuing Steed has been running better than his form figures imply, and could provide a value alternative to the selection, while Macaque is capable of winning from his current mark, for all a tendency to lug left is not ideal at this venue.