12:55 Haydock

Sunday 7 June 2020

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:3518:10

Betway Handicap

Off time: 12:55 | Winning time: 2m 11.56s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(6)

Harrovian²³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 95| D

7/1

Blinkered when winning a 1¼m handicap at Yarmouth in September, and failed to handle soft ground when well beaten at York on final start. Unexposed, and could go well despite lack of headgear, assuming ground doesn't ease.

Form: 213317-

(11)

Sameem²¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D Allan| T: J Tate| OR: 95| BF| D

9/2

Won a 1¼m Ripon handicap (good/firm) and the 1m3f Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton (soft) last summer. Failed to see things out over further on both subsequent starts, and could well benefit from return to this trip.

Form: 201154-

(10)

Thrave⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 93

16/1

Twice runner-up in competitive 1m handicaps for Henry Candy last term, and excuses (struck into) when below form on debut for new yard at Wolverhampton in the spring. Ought to stay this trip, and best form on good or quicker turf.

Form: 42929-7

(9)

Country²⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: James Doyle| T: W J Haggas| OR: 92| D

2/1

Completed a turf hat-trick when scoring on handicap bow at Redcar (1¼m) in August, and failed to stay when behind Trueshan in Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket on final 3-y-o outing. This looks his ideal trip, and he's respected on his return to action.

Form: 611148-

(4)

Babbo's Boy^b1²⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 92

16/1

Still 7lb higher than when winning a 4-runner handicap over 1½m at Leicester for Michael Bell in May 2019. Ended season out of form, and returns for a new yard with blinkers tried for the first time. Bit to prove.

Form: 110620-

(1)

Finniston Farm²⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: David Probert| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 91| BF| CD

125/1

Often goes well here and won a 4-runner handicap over a similar trip here last May. Well treated on that, but form took a nosedive thereafter, and he was beaten in a seller on his final 2019 outing. Has left Tom Dascombe.

Form: 718784-

(7)

Spiorad^t²⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 91

14/1

Took three handicaps at 1m on turf last term, on ground ranging from good to heavy. Well beaten trying a similar trip to this at York in September, but worth another try, and one of few who would welcome rain.

Form: 413110-

(12)

Oasis Prince²²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 91| C

9/1

Unraced at 2 yrs, so did well to win four times in a busy campaign last year. Those wins came at 7f/1m, but he stays this trip, and handles most ground. Gelded since last seen, and may have more to offer.

Form: 233737-

(5)

El Ghazwani^t¹¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: K Shoemark| T: H Palmer| OR: 90| D

16/1

Thriving on Polytrack when last seen, landing a hat-trick of handicaps at Lingfield over this trip since December. All five career wins at that track, so bit to prove back on turf, for all he's 11lb lower in this sphere.

Form: 6561-11

(8)

Cosmeapolitan⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: M Harley| T: A King| OR: 90

50/1

Useful sort on AW and a fairly useful hurdler, but he ran poorly on both turf starts last season. Bit below form in a tongue tie at Wolverhampton in March, and others more compelling on balance.

Form: 30005-3

(3)

Alternative Fact²¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: S De Sousa| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 90| D

6/1

Both career wins on testing ground, the latest at Newmarket (1¼m) in November. Still fairly treated on balance, and would not mind any rain. Jockey booking increases confidence (aboard for latest win).

Form: 033491-

Non-Runners

(2)

Universal Gleam⁸⁵

Weight: 9-7| Age: 5

T: K Dalgleish J: Callum Rodriguez

Forecasts

Country (2/1), Sameem (9/2), Alternative Fact (6/1), Harrovian (7/1), Universal Gleam (8/1), Oasis Prince (9/1), Spiorad (14/1), Babbo's Boy (16/1), Thrave (16/1), El Ghazwani (16/1), Cosmeapolitan (50/1), Finniston Farm (125/1)

The ground has eased since declarations for this meeting, and that could have a significant effect on the outcome. SAMEEM won a Listed race on soft ground last season and looks in need of a return to this trip, so is taken to come out on top. Alternative Fact has the benefit of Silvestre de Sousa on his back, as when winning at Newmarket last back-end, and is feared, while Spiorad will handle conditions, and is probably worth another try at this trip having had excuses on his previous outing.