17:30 York

Friday 11 October 2019

All14:0014:4015:1515:5016:2016:5517:30

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap

Off time: 17:33 | Winning time: 1m 28.21s

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Selected odds by:

(15)

Flying Pursuit^p,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Rachel Richardson| T: T D Easterby| OR: 85| BF| C

12/1

Goes well here and on soft ground, having won twice over 6f at the track. Now on a 16-race losing streak and has not scored since July 2018. Appeared to see out 7f here in June, but more needed despite slowly receding mark.

Form: 500853

(1)

Dance Diva^v¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| D

12/1

Completed a hat-trick in her first three starts, but has won just once since then and that was in June 2018. Stays 1m, but effective over this distance, although held from today's mark last time.

Form: 6-09044

(19)

Balgair²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: David Egan| T: Tom Clover| OR: 83| D

20/1

Scored from 1lb lower at Yarmouth in May, but not quite so good back there of late, and any ground with 'soft' in the description is a concern.

Form: 128544

(20)

Tommy Taylor²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 83| CD

15/2

C&D winner here (good to firm; has also won Listed 6f race here on good to soft). Mark steadily reducing in the light of a two-year losing run, and more needed, especially from stands rail draw.

Form: 245453

(14)

Sparklealot^p²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: David Probert| T: I Furtado| OR: 85| D

7/1

Ran well enough over C&D (soft) on his only previous visit in July, but bettered that twice since, both on good ground, winning at Catterick and then when second at Ayr last time. Same mark today. Should be competitive.

Form: 453412

(4)

King Of Tonga²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 84

7/1

Scored on good to soft (6f) last season at Redcar when with Richard Fahey. Unable to make a major impact in handicaps, despite the handicapper relenting. Handles soft and has a good draw, but others make more compelling cases.

Form: 420085

(18)

Queen's Sargent²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 82| D

9/1

Scored over this trip on heavy on his seasonal reappearance last year. Won for the first time since then at Thirsk (good) in August. Up 4lb for that, he was well held at Ayr last time, so arrives needing to bounce back.

Form: 479218

(8)

Hesslewood¹¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: P J McDonald| T: J D Bethell| OR: 84| C

16/1

His two wins have both come on his first appearance of each campaign. Went close to a third one when a head second at Haydock (1m, good to soft) last time. Up 1lb for that, but still few miles on the clock and now fresh, he could go close.

Form: 06-1352

(17)

Irv²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Sullivan| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 84| C

40/1

Dual 1m winner here (good/good to firm) in the summer, the latter when 12lb lower. Has found it tough from this sort of mark since.

Form: 921109

(10)

Mogsy²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Jane Elliott⁽³⁾| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 83| D

20/1

Has produced three similar efforts in succession in going close on good to soft/soft ground at Haydock and Thirsk and then winning easily last time at Catterick (all 7f). Drops 2lb for this handicap debut, and clearly can't rule him out.

Form: 66221

(2)

Highly Sprung¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: J L Eyre| OR: 81

20/1

Has developed into a Pontefract specialist, with six of his 10 career wins being there, including all the last five. Did win on good to soft last time, but undoubtedly fast ground would be preferable. 6lb rise and higher grade makes this tougher.

Form: 216621

(9)

James Watt²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Cameron Noble⁽³⁾| T: M L W Bell| OR: 83

40/1

Won his first two starts as a juvenile, but has now gone 14 more races without another win. Has gone close from similar marks, including here this season. Should be thereabouts, but more needed for another success.

Form: 239200

(3)

Captain Jameson²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 81| C

17/2

6f winner at this track, and has also won elsewhere on soft. Now 1lb lower than when scoring at this meeting last year, and has a couple of pieces of form this year that give him a squeak here, if he can reproduce them.

Form: 073738

(12)

Nordic Fire²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Bentley| T: D O'Meara| OR: 82

50/1

AW winner in France when with Andre Fabre. Well held on both starts for this trainer, and we need to see a revival before he can be recommended.

Form: 1-35490

(7)

Twin Appeal⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: Gemma Tutty⁽³⁾| T: K Tutty| OR: 79| D

25/1

Specialist at around this trip who has gained two of his nine career wins this season. Has won three times on good to soft (acts on heavy). 3lb higher than his most recent win, in a class 5 at Thirsk last month, but needs to raise his game.

Form: 342157

(6)

Jabalaly^b¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Dane O'Neill| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 81| D

9/1

Came good at the seventh attempt at Kempton (7f, AW) last time, winning by more than the 1L margin suggested. Up 6lb for that, acts on good to soft, unexposed, has a good draw and is well treated with his age allowance. Leading player.

Form: 427931

(13)

Hafeet Alain¹²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Connor Beasley| T: Adrian Nicholls| OR: 80| BF

16/1

Won a fast ground Doncaster maiden (6f) in July 2018. Has gone close a couple of times this season, both from this mark (inc. on good to soft). Gelded since last seen in the summer, and a market check looks prudent to gauge confidence on his return.

Form: 15-3225

(11)

Lucky Louie^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R A Teal| OR: 78| D

12/1

3-29 career record, and although both turf wins were on good to firm, he acts on any ground. Was not far away from this mark at this level in a Doncaster handicap last time, and makes some each-way appeal here.

Form: 2-22316

(5)

Mr Orange^p¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: K T O'Neill| T: P T Midgley| OR: 78

40/1

Yet to win over further than 6f, but has done so on good to soft several times. 3lb higher than his most recent success at Pontefract, where he has run most of his better races, but more needed at this level and on this flat track.

Form: 701106

Non-Runners

(16)

Cristal Breeze⁴⁸

Weight: 9-4| Age: 3

T: W J Haggas J: Tom Marquand

Forecasts

Cristal Breeze (6/1), King Of Tonga (7/1), Sparklealot (7/1), Tommy Taylor (15/2), Captain Jameson (17/2), Jabalaly (9/1), Queen's Sargent (9/1), Flying Pursuit (12/1), Dance Diva (12/1), Lucky Louie (12/1), Hafeet Alain (16/1), Hesslewood (16/1), Highly Sprung (20/1), Mogsy (20/1), Balgair (20/1), Twin Appeal (25/1), Mr Orange (40/1), Irv (40/1), James Watt (40/1), Nordic Fire (50/1)

Another devilishly difficult sprint handicap to bring down the curtain on the card, and several have claims. Sparklealot is on a competitive mark and ran well here already this season, Cristal Breeze would be a player if handling this ground, while Mogsy looks on a fair mark for this handicap debut and should make his presence felt. Captain Jameson and Lucky Louie both make each-way appeal, while Jabalaly looks very much a contender. However, preference is for HESSLEWOOD, who handles the ground, goes well fresh and looks well up to a big run at this level.