17:20 Ascot

Friday 8 September 2023

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Sodexo Live! Handicap

Off time: 17:26 | Winning time: 1m 26.31s

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Selected odds by:

(3)

Pastiche⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: R L Moore| T: G Boughey| OR: 87| D

3/1

AW maiden winner on second of her 2 starts as a juvenile and built on reappearance effort when landing a 7f Newmarket handicap in decisive fashion. Tardy start did her no favours upped to 1m there last time and should be competitive back at this trip, provided she's quick off the blocks.

Form: 71-214

(5)

Kimnkate^b¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Connor Planas⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 85| D

15/2

Hasn't looked back since blinkered, posting a career-best effort when gaining fourth career success in a 7f Newmarket handicap last month. Lost little caste in defeat over the same C&D off 6 lb higher next time and, though nudged up another 2 lb, she has to enter calculations.

Form: 121212

(11)

Gulmarg^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: David Egan| T: S Woods| OR: 84| D

9/1

Winless following half-a-dozen attempts this year but, save for a poor effort on his penultimate start, he's done little wrong. Narrowly outpointed off 1 lb lower at Kempton (7f) last time and likely to be in the thick of things.

Form: 333272

(4)

Metahorse^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: K Stott| T: Darryll Holland| OR: 84| D

7/1

Dual winner for Michael Bell who has made a bright start for new yard, placed in a trio of handicaps at around 7f. Latest second at Beverley (good to firm) was off this mark and it's not hard to envisage another bold show.

Form: 256322

(10)

Havana Pusey¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Spencer| T: J Gallagher| OR: 83

18/1

Built on debut promise when landing a 6f Nottingham maiden in May. Best effort since switched to handicaps when a close third at Epsom in July but not so good next 2 starts and it remains to be seen if this step up in trip will help.

Form: 214366

(1)

Harry Magnus^h1,t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Jim Crowley| T: C Hills| OR: 82| BF| D

16/1

Made a winning handicap debut at Newmarket (7f, good to soft) in May but things haven't gone to plan since, finishing out with the washing following a slow start at Kempton last time (Gulmarg second). Needs to get back on track now equipped with a hood.

Form: 211569

(9)

Zouzanna³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Oisin Murphy| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 81

7/2

Promise when runner-up in pair of back-end novice events last term and recorded a smooth success on return at Haydock (1m, good to firm) in May. No real impact switched to handicap company the last twice but it's still early days for this filly.

Form: 22-140

(8)

Boy Browning^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: H Crouch| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 76

22/1

Winner of 6f Windsor novice at 2 yrs and put a pair of lesser efforts behind him when third of 5 in handicap at Wolverhampton (7f) in May. Latest third in first-time cheekpieces (retained) at Epsom (7f, good to firm) was a creditable effort but several of these make more appeal.

Form: 0-73873

(2)

Liberty²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Marco Ghiani| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 76

33/1

Left debut form well behind after 9 months off when second of 8 in a maiden at Yarmouth (7f, good to soft) in July. Backward step upped to 8.3f at Nottingham since and improvement needed back down in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 7-25

(12)

Starlight Nation⁷³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Callum Shepherd| T: C G Cox| OR: 74| D

18/1

Gradual progress since switched to handicaps, off the mark at Leicester (7f, good) in June. Misfired off this 3 lb higher mark at Newbury later that month and needs to bounce back on this return from a short break.

Form: 376419

(6)

De Bruyne²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Saffie Osborne| T: E Walker| OR: 71| BF

11/2

Won 6f Newcastle novice last winter and knocking on the door in 6f turf handicaps in recent months, again shaping as though worth a try at this trip when a staying-on fourth of 12 at Newmarket (good). Shortlisted off the same mark here.

Form: 1-67344

Non-Runners

(7)

Vermilion³⁴⁹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 3

T: A M Balding J: Hayley Turner

Forecasts

Pastiche (3/1), Zouzanna (7/2), De Bruyne (11/2), Metahorse (7/1), Vermilion (7/1), Kimnkate (15/2), Gulmarg (9/1), Harry Magnus (16/1), Starlight Nation (18/1), Havana Pusey (18/1), Boy Browning (22/1), Liberty (33/1)

Several of these are shortlisted, with GULMARG marginally the pick. He quickly bounced back from an uncharacteristic poor effort at Newmarket in June when just edged out at Kempton and a reproduction of that would give him every chance. De Bruyne's turn is surely near and he is second choice ahead of Pastiche, who remains of interest despite rather fluffing her lines last time out. The consistent Kimnkate also has claims and Metahorse is another to consider in a competitive heat.