18:35 Nottingham

Tuesday 14 August 2018

All17:0517:3518:0518:3519:0519:3520:05

Kier Construction Central Handicap

Off time: 18:35 | Winning time: 3m 4.01s

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Selected odds by:

(7)

Incus²⁴²

10/1

Raced without success over hurdles since making all to win from a 4lb lower mark at Newbury (2m, soft) in October 2017; had a lengthy break (and wind surgery) since his latest start, but is a C&D winner who will relish underfoot conditions.

Form: 720151-

(10)

Muftakker²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: P Aspell| T: J R Norton| OR: 67

66/1

Shown some ability in bumpers, and out of his depth on the Flat so far over inadequate trips; better suited by this calibre of contest (handicap debut), but needs to show considerably more in order to figure positively.

Form: 736

(4)

Methag⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: M Harley| T: A M Hales| OR: 67

8/1

Twice a winner in France in 2016, but this trainer has rejuvenated her of late with a win over a similar trip at Doncaster in June (good), and a subsequent hurdles second at Market Rasen; 6lb above her last winning mark.

Form: 706-091

(5)

Helioblu Bareliere¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Gabriele Malune⁽⁵⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 66| BF

10/1

Eight-race maiden who was very firmly dispatched by a well-handicapped rival at Yarmouth last month (1m3.5f, good), so needs to find plenty of improvement over this longer trip.

Form: 230443

(6)

Lassana Angel¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Scott McCullagh⁽⁷⁾| T: T R Gretton| OR: 64

25/1

Made eye-catching late progress from the rear when finishing third on soft ground at Chepstow in June (1m4f), but disappointing once more on the AW latest; certainly noteworthy over a new trip (with cut), but rates as tricky to predict.

Form: 54-6038

(1)

Hallstatt^t⁶¹

Age: 12| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: J Mackie| OR: 62| CD

40/1

Veteran who tends to go fairly well at this track (mainly on good/good to firm ground), and retains the zest for racing; no win since scoring on Tapeta at Newcastle in September 2017 (14/1); others appear stronger.

Form: 4-47364

(2)

Hazarfan^t1²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Charles Bishop| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 72

11/4

Lightly raced, but essentially a bit of a disappointment so far (cost 250,000 gns as a yearling); tongue-tie applied for turf handicap debut after a couple of modest AW efforts; half-brother to 2m winner Hartnell; impossible to discount.

Form: 62-740

(9)

The Pinto Kid^t¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: George Wood| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 70

8/1

Slow learner, but one who should prove capable of making his mark at this level now upped in trip for handicap debut; interesting to see how prominently (or not) he figures in the market.

Form: 755

(8)

Burn Some Dust²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 66

5/2

Won a 1m nursery at Ayr in October, and belatedly improved again when stepped up to 1m4f at Newcastle last time. Remains with untapped potential as his stamina is drawn out, so not taken lightly despite a 5lb rise.

Form: 7018-91

(11)

Tin Fandango²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Ryan Tate| T: M D I Usher| OR: 65

80/1

No obvious promise at triple figure odds in three starts over 1m2f; cost just £1,400 as a yearling and despite making the step up in trip for handicap debut, his form so far suggests he's simply of a limited level of ability.

Form: 509

(3)

Affair²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Oisin Murphy| T: H Morrison| OR: 54| BF| D

8/1

Should prove very well suited by underfoot conditions, and headed back in the right direction on more than one occasion of late; 1lb higher than when headed close home over C&D last month (pulled hard); solid chance under more experienced rider.

Form: 0-65242

Forecasts

Burn Some Dust (5/2), Hazarfan (11/4), Methag (8/1), The Pinto Kid (8/1), Affair (8/1), Helioblu Bareliere (10/1), Incus (10/1), Lassana Angel (25/1), Hallstatt (40/1), Muftakker (66/1), Tin Fandango (80/1)

A number of these horses have clearly been awaiting the arrival of rainfall, none more so than the returning (clean winded) C&D scorer Incus. It's easy to make a case for plenty of those with form in the book including the rejuvenated Methag, and the recent AW scorer Burn Some Dust, whilst a degree of caution should be afforded to the less exposed lightly-raced pair Hazarfan and The Pinto Kid (handicap debut). However, with the added guile of Oishin Murphy aboard the Hughie Morrison-trained soft ground specialist AFFAIR, there's every likelihood that her initial keen going nature can be harnessed for a stronger finishing effort.