Rentokil Initial Handicap

Off time: 20:30 | Winning time: -

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(6)

Millswyn^p1⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 85

5/2

Improving of late, with decent second over 1m2f at Roscommon most recently. Goes up in trip and first-time cheekpieces are added, should be in the firing line when it counts.

Form: 416-752

(7)

Finding Nero^h¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: L Dettori| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 78| BF

2/1

Denied a hat-trick last time at Naas over 1m2f but came home strongly have lost ground after stumbling early in the piece. Progressing well, he's gone up another 4lb for that effort. Johnny Murtagh has booked his old adversary to ride.

Form: 355-112

(1)

Defining Battle⁴⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: C P Hoban| T: M Halford| OR: 77

11/2

Off the mark at the third attempt when landing a Listowel 1m maiden on yielding ground last month. Lope De Vega colt capable of following up on handicap debut and has to be taken seriously.

Form: 5-41

(5)

Elite Trooper Grey^v³²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: W J Lee| T: W McCreery| OR: 75

5/1

Has run well in four starts this term in maidens/handicap, though least effective of those efforts was over C&D. Has to improve in any case to score.

Form: 23-2342

(3)

Fujimoto Flyer²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: C T Keane| T: E Mullins| OR: 72

6/1

Has it all to prove if hoping to shed the maiden tag following wide margin defeat at Down Royal last time out, easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 029-828

(4)

Next Stop Broadway¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: N M Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: A Fogarty| OR: 71

33/1

Gelded son of Lope De Vega out of a Selkirk mare. French import with plenty to work on after stable bow at Bellewstown over 1m6f recently in a maiden.

Form: 84-6

(2)

Hereia²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: W M Lordan| T: A Slattery| OR: 67

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden, finished second of four in a maiden at Ballinrobe (1m1f, good to soft; 5-1) 23 days ago, needs to bring more to the table now sent handicapping.

Form: 43-62

Forecasts

Finding Nero (2/1), Millswyn (5/2), Elite Trooper Grey (5/1), Defining Battle (11/2), Fujimoto Flyer (6/1), Hereia (16/1), Next Stop Broadway (33/1)

Finding Nero is progressing well this term and makes appeal here on form, while the alliance of former weighing room colleagues Johnny Murtagh and Frankie Dettori adds intrigue. He's much-respected but DEFINING BATTLE is also going the right way and the form of last month's Listowel maiden success has already been boosted, ensuring he gets the nod to oblige on handicap debut. Millswyn looks next best, just ahead of Elite Trooper Grey.