17:50 Newmarket

Saturday 6 May 2023

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:4017:1517:50

Howden Bloodstock 'Confined' Handicap

Off time: 17:52 | Winning time: 1m 30.06s

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Selected odds by:

(9)

Yacowlef¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: R L Moore| T: P & O Cole| OR: 86

7/2

Looked well-suited by the demands of a larger-field handicap when second of 14 here (6f, good to soft) 16 days ago. Still low-mileage in handicaps and will have no issue with the return to 7f, so makes plenty of appeal.

Form: 63514-2

(4)

Divine Libra²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: K Shoemark| T: C Hills| OR: 85| D

9/4

Tanked along when winning 10-runner minor event at Catterick (7f, heavy) on return 24 days ago. This is a tougher assignment on handicap debut but he's got a useful pedigree and appeals as a likely improver.

Form: 24-1

(2)

Striking Star^h³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 83| BF| D

7/4

Superbly bred and created a fine impression when a smooth winner of a Sandown novice (7f, heavy) on debut in September. Beaten favourite in the Horris Hill next time but got back on track when chasing a high-class prospect at Doncaster and he's a player on handicap bow.

Form: 19-2

(11)

Tiriac¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: George Bass⁽³⁾| T: J Channon| OR: 82

28/1

Put experience to good use when when decisively taking 9-runner maiden at Doncaster (6f, heavy, 5/1) in November but proved too keen under a change of tactics when down the field at Newbury on return and others make more appeal.

Form: 021-6

(3)

Chartwell House¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: J P Spencer| T: W J Knight| OR: 82| D

8/1

Ran well to finish third of 17 in handicap on return at this C&D (good to soft) 16 days ago, certainly looking more straightforward having been gelded over the winter. Solid place claims again from same mark.

Form: 27144-3

(12)

Verdansk¹⁹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Rossa Ryan| T: C G Cox| OR: 79| BF

11/1

Consistent rather than progressive in minor event/maidens at Newbury last season. Overall judgement call is that he'll need more to figure from this mark on his handicap debut here.

Form: 353-

(7)

Jahidin³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 77| D

66/1

Off mark at second attempt when scoring at Newcastle in February and improved again when second under a penalty at Wolverhampton next time. Far too free on handicap debut last time, though, and others have stronger claims.

Form: 6-124

(5)

Grand Central^b,e/s⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Josephine Gordon| T: P S McEntee| OR: 61

150/1

Essentially looks an awkward sort and arrives here after a string of poor performances, so is easy to oppose racing from out of the handicap. Eyeshields/blinkers back on.

Form: 434606

Non-Runners

(10)

Choisya⁶⁶

Weight: 9-10| Age: 3

T: S & E Crisford J: Harry Davies

(8)

Captain Cuddles¹⁵

Weight: 9-8| Age: 3

T: R Hannon J: P J Dobbs

(6)

Prospering¹⁷

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: E Walker J: Oisin Murphy

(1)

Warminster²⁹

Weight: 8-6| Age: 3

T: J Ryan J: K T O'Neill

Forecasts

Striking Star (7/4), Divine Libra (9/4), Yacowlef (7/2), Choisya (5/1), Chartwell House (8/1), Verdansk (11/1), Prospering (12/1), Captain Cuddles (25/1), Tiriac (28/1), Warminster (50/1), Jahidin (66/1), Grand Central (150/1)

A typically competitive three-year-old handicap, with the top-weight YACOWLEF fancied to go one the better than when an excellent second over 6f here at the Craven Meeting. Godolphin's regally-bred Striking Star has the pedigree to prove much better than his opening mark and rates as a major threat, with Choisya, Chartwell House and Prospering others to consider.