14:40 Newmarket

Saturday 18 May 2024

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

trustatrader.com Handicap

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 1m 24.12s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Saint Lawrence¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A Watson| OR: 105| D

12/1

Snapped losing sequence following yard switch/refitted with blinkers when landing the Wokingham at Royal Ascot last summer. More than backed that up when third in Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest next time but safely held all 4 subsequent starts.

Form: 1390-07

(7)

Make Me King⁸⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Harry Burns⁽³⁾| T: H Al Jehani| OR: 104| D

28/1

AW/turf winner in France for Andre Fabre and posted some useful efforts in the Middle East for this trainer over the winter. His opening mark in Britain isn't obviously generous.

Form: 5525-54

(3)

Quinault^h,t²²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Luke Catton⁽⁵⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 102| C| D

8/1

One of the success stories of last season, winning 7 of his first 8 handicaps, including valuable events at York, the July meeting here and Ascot. Comfortably held from this mark on his final start but no surprise were he to resume his progression now.

Form: 111310-

(12)

Desert Cop¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 99| C

11/1

Bounced back to form with a bang when winning 15-runner 6f course handicap at the recent Guineas meeting. Still has handicapping scope after a 5 lb rise and he was runner-up over 7f at the start of his career.

Form: 0706-01

(5)

Carrytheone^h,t⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: P J Dobbs| T: M L W Bell| OR: 99| D

22/1

Bordering on smart at his best for Johnny Murtagh but no significant impact in a pair of competitive 7f handicaps for new yard this spring. Hood refitted.

Form: 3266-90

(15)

Imperial Fighter²³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Saffie Osborne| T: J A Osborne| OR: 97| D

50/1

Third in Irish 2000 Guineas in his 3-y-o season but has largely struggled since. Has left Andrew Balding ahead of reappearance. Best watched unless the betting strongly hints otherwise.

Form: 655004-

(10)

Rainbow Fire²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: N Callan| T: M Botti| OR: 95| CD

11/2

Won over 7f at Haydock last April and has been in good form this spring, placing back at Haydock (7f, heavy) last time.

Form: 087-543

(8)

Koy Koy⁷¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Billy Loughnane| T: G Boughey| OR: 95| D

14/1

Latest win at Wolverhampton (8.6f) in September. Unable to make an impact in 3 outings in Dubai at the start of the year but respected on last year's British efforts.

Form: 213-950

(13)

Gorak^p³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Callum Shepherd| T: C Fellowes| OR: 95| D

13/2

Dual winner in the first half of last season and returned with a creditable fourth of 15 over C&D (good to firm) at the Craven meeting in April, form which has been franked by the second and third since. Not discounted.

Form: 07090-4

(14)

Divine Libra¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: K Stott| T: C Hills| OR: 94| D

4/1

Has a solid 3-y-o season and took it up another notch with a 7f Chester win 10 days ago. Raised 7 lb but he's likely capable of even better.

Form: 1323-91

(2)

Summerghand^v³

Age: 10| Weight: 9-1| J: Cieren Fallon| T: D O'Meara| OR: 94| C

10/1

Down to his lowest mark for nearly 6 years and can have a line out through Wednesday's York run as he was badly hampered early and eased off. Hadn't shaped too badly in 6f handicaps here prior to that. Races beyond 6f for only the second time in his long career.

Form: 528580

(6)

Quest For Fun^t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 90| D

16/1

Shaped well when fourth on 7f Musselburgh reappearance and shaped better than the result in 1m Thirsk Hunt Cup, looking to play a part in the finish until his stamina gave out in the closing stages. Player back at 7f

Form: 4621-48

(11)

Darkness^v¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Jason Watson| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| D

10/1

Belatedly off the mark in this country on the July Course here last summer and shaped better than the result when 6 lengths sixth of 16 in 1m handicap here at the Guineas meeting, travelling powerfully in the lead for a long way. Interesting back at 7f.

Form: 0035-06

(9)

Final Watch¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: Laura Pearson| T: W Stone| OR: 85| CD

25/1

Looked as good as ever when scoring on the July Course last summer. Shaped better than the distance beaten suggested on final outing of the season at Ascot in October but he was never involved on his C&D reappearance a fortnight ago. Needs to leave that well behind.

Form: 21645-9

(4)

Chola Empire¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: George Rooke| T: D M Simcock| OR: 79| D

40/1

Latest win at Southwell in March. 9/1, respectable sixth of 11 in handicap at Kempton (7f) since. 2 lb out of the weights back on turf. Others are more obvious.

Form: 86-2216

Forecasts

Divine Libra (4/1), Rainbow Fire (11/2), Gorak (13/2), Quinault (8/1), Darkness (10/1), Summerghand (10/1), Desert Cop (11/1), Saint Lawrence (12/1), Koy Koy (14/1), Quest For Fun (16/1), Carrytheone (22/1), Final Watch (25/1), Make Me King (28/1), Chola Empire (40/1), Imperial Fighter (50/1)

DARKNESS impressed with the way he travelled for a long way in a 1m course handicap on 2000 Guineas day and might be worth siding with back at 7f having dipped to 4 lb below the mark he defied on the July Course last summer. Fellow northern raider Quest For Fun failed to stay 1m in the Thirsk Hunt Cup last time and is interesting back at 7f. Recent Chester scorer Divine Libra and last month's C&D fourth Gorak also make the shortlist.