17:20 Doncaster

Saturday 16 September 2023

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

Hippo Pro 3 Sealant Handicap (Str)

Off time: 17:22 | Winning time: 1m 38.74s

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(3)

Blue For You^v²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 104| BF| D

11/1

Resumed winning ways in good style at York (1m, good) in July and probably best to draw a line through his latest effort over the same C&D. However, no obvious excuses at Goodwood on penultimate start and he's probably a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 0-50100

(4)

Sonny Liston^b²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: R L Moore| T: R M Beckett| OR: 102

7/2

Useful 7f winner for Charlie Hills and, though yet to add to that 2-y-o debut success, he has hinted on more than one occasion this season that there's a decent prize to be won with him. Did well to finish as close as he did at York (1m, good to firm) last time and a bold show is anticipated here.

Form: 9-92054

(13)

Brunch⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Beasley| T: M Dods| OR: 99| D

22/1

Smart performer at his best, winner of back-to-back York handicaps in 2020 and successful in listed company the following year. However, he was well held on final start of last season in this corresponding race and largely below par so far this time round.

Form: 50-2863

(11)

Empirestateofmind^b³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: D Swift| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 98| BF| D

9/1

Improved during second half of 2022, following success at Thirsk with a string of solid efforts in defeat, including when runner-up in this race 12 months ago. Another good effort when third at the Ascot Shergar Cup meeting last time and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 720953

(10)

The Gatekeeper²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Rossa Ryan| T: C Johnston| OR: 96| BF| D

10/1

Winner of 7f handicaps at Newcastle and Newmarket earlier this season and fine second in the 20-runner Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood last month. Promoted to first after just failing back there (1m, soft) 20 days ago and, nudged up 2 lb, he's likely to be in thick of things once more.

Form: 302201

(14)

Millebosc⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 95| D

11/2

Placed form at highest level as a 3-y-o when trained in France and shaped well when a running-on seventh of 18 in the John Smith's Cup at York on second start for this yard in July. Disappointing at Goodwood (1¼m, soft) since but needs considering back down in trip on this more conventional track.

Form: 5475-79

(15)

Spirit Catcher^h²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: J Fanning| T: C Johnston| OR: 94| D

12/1

Quirky sort who ran out an emphatic winner of 1m Ripon handicap last month. Just ahead of Sonny Liston when third of 19 at York since but, while that was a highly creditable effort, he looks vulnerable now that his new mark has kicked in.

Form: 287813

(8)

La Trinidad²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Jonny Peate⁽³⁾| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 93| CD

18/1

Back on the scoresheet with a stylish display over C&D in June but has come up short off similar marks to this in his 2 subsequent appearances.

Form: 83-3159

(12)

Dutch Decoy²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: R Kingscote| T: C Johnston| OR: 93| D

14/1

Five-time 7f/1m winner in 2022 and added to his tally at Newmarket in July. Has followed that with creditable efforts in the Golden Mile at Glorious Goodwood (just behind stablemate The Gatekeeper) and most recently at York, but current mark leaves little margin for error.

Form: 223136

(1)

Liberty Lane⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 97| D

11/2

Impressive winner of sole start at 2 yrs and useful efforts in defeat this year, proving suited by the drop back to 1m when fourth of 12 in the Newmarket handicap won by Dutch Decoy last time. Remains unexposed and there could be a bigger performance in him, particularly when he learns to settle.

Form: 1-2704

(5)

Pisanello⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Oisin Murphy| T: D O'Meara| OR: 89| BF| D

22/1

Consistent sort who bagged second Hamilton victory of the season (best effort yet for this yard) when edging ahead in dying strides there (8.3f, soft) in July. Good run of form came to a halt at Thirsk last time, though, and Blue For You appears to be the stable No 1.

Form: 157315

(7)

Titian³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: K T O'Neill| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 85| BF| C| D

18/1

Just touched off in the C&D Spring Mile at the start of the season and followed that with a couple of creditable efforts in Newmarket handicaps. Form took a dip when only fourth at Chepstow last time, though, and this demands a clear career-best.

Form: 342634

(9)

Freedom Day²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: George Rooke| T: M Walford| OR: 84| D

40/1

Off the mark in 1m Redcar novice on third and final start for the Gosdens during the spring. Stepped up on low-key debut for this yard when third of 12 in the Ripon handicap won by Spirit Catcher last month, but that's still well short of the level that will be required to win this.

Form: 64-193

(2)

Spioradalta^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Laura Coughlan⁽⁵⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 81| D

20/1

Has proved largely consistent this year and landed a gamble with cheekpieces refitted at Chester (7.6f, soft) in July. Performed with credit when fourth of 12 over the same C&D a fortnight ago, but she has plenty on her plate from the 3 lb out of the weights here.

Form: 196164

(6)

Look Back Smiling^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Mia Nicholls⁽⁷⁾| T: G Tutty| OR: 77

33/1

Got his head back in front at Leicester last month, albeit that was a Class 5 handicap and he has come up short in 2 subsequent starts. 7 lb 'wrong' here and he looks up against it.

Form: 325148

Forecasts

Sonny Liston (7/2), Liberty Lane (11/2), Millebosc (11/2), Empirestateofmind (9/1), The Gatekeeper (10/1), Blue For You (11/1), Spirit Catcher (12/1), Dutch Decoy (14/1), La Trinidad (18/1), Titian (18/1), Spioradalta (20/1), Pisanello (22/1), Brunch (22/1), Look Back Smiling (33/1), Freedom Day (40/1)

Having performed with credit in several valuable big-field handicaps this year, SONNY LISTON is taken to deservedly hit the target. He again has the assistance of Ryan Moore, who partnered the 4-y-o at Royal Ascot where he was a fine second in the Royal Hunt Cup and also when fourth of 19 in a notable handicap at the York Ebor Festival. Millebosc is nicely handicapped based on his exploits in France and he is feared most back at 1m ahead of Empirestateofmind, Liberty Lane and The Gatekeeper.