17:30 Thirsk

Saturday 18 May 2024

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5417:3018:02

Sky Bet Club Handicap

Off time: 17:32 | Winning time: 1m 38.35s

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Selected odds by:

(3)

Dutch Kingdom^v,t²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: P Mulrennan| T: Darryll Holland| OR: 74| D

20/1

Latest win at Lingfield in December. Respectable third of 11 in handicap at Chelmsford City (7f, 18/1) 23 days ago. Visor back on and lot depends on whether he can continue the good work on turf.

Form: 115-483

(1)

Rayat³¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Charlie Bennett| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 74

9/2

Debut winner at Wolverhampton. Hooded for first time, fourth of 12 in handicap (17/2) at Newbury (10f, good to firm). Off 10 months. Down in trip and may yet have more to offer for leading connections.

Form: 184-

(15)

Utilis²¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Robinson| T: B Ellison| OR: 73

18/1

Yet to win a race and trailed in last of 12 in handicap at Newcastle (8f, 12/1) when last seen in October.

Form: 756820-

(7)

Boy Douglas³⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Billy Garritty| T: M Dods| OR: 73| D

28/1

Signed off 2-y-o with a novice win at Ayr. 22/1, seventh of 8 in handicap at Redcar (10f, good to soft). Off 12 months so lots of questions to answer back down in trip.

Form: 941/47-

(16)

Hale End^p¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Connor Beasley| T: M Dods| OR: 73| D

11/2

Latest win at Newcastle in January. Respectable sixth of 14 in handicap at Ayr (10f, good, 12/1) 19 days ago. Back down in trip. Can make presence felt.

Form: 5-18546

(13)

Naval Academy^t²⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: D C Costello| T: M Walford| OR: 73| DWS

40/1

French maiden winner but little to shout about in 3 UK runs in August/September, eighth of 9 in handicap at Carlisle (6.9f, soft). Off 8 months.

Form: 431058-

(9)

Dumfries²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 73| D

14/1

Reappearance run was sound but he looked a very hard ride when last of 9 in handicap at Pontefract (8f, heavy) 26 days ago.

Form: 8434-59

(11)

Paris Lights²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Cam Hardie| T: P T Midgley| OR: 72

40/1

Never a threat returned to turf when eighth of 9 in handicap at Pontefract (8f, heavy) 26 days ago, though he was in a poor spot having been slowly away.

Form: 00-5488

(2)

Finbar's Lad¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 71| D

5/1

Haydock winner from this mark in June. Looked in need of the outing when below form seventh of 14 in handicap at this C&D (soft) 14 days ago and this will reveal more.

Form: 01777-7

(12)

Tobetso⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Zak Wheatley⁽⁵⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 71| D

18/1

Successful twice at up to 1m last summer but little to shout about since, seventh of 8 in handicap at Leicester (8.2f, good) 7 days ago. On the plus side, he is back on that last successful mark.

Form: 2147-57

(8)

Red Hat Eagle¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Harry Davies| T: W J Knight| OR: 71| D

13/2

Ended 2023 on the up on the AW and picked up where he left off when second of 9 in handicap at Chelmsford City (8f, 6/1) 16 days ago. Has to be taken seriously up 2 lb.

Form: 72113-2

(6)

Star Shield^p²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-5| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 70| D

8/1

Respectable third of 11 in handicap at Wetherby (8f, soft, 11/1) 20 days ago. Pretty consistent operator in his grade.

Form: 333543

(5)

Mount King^p,t²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 70| CD

11/1

C&D winner. 22/1, eighth of 9 in handicap at Pontefract (8f, heavy) 26 days ago. Needs to leave that effort well behind.

Form: 51515-8

(4)

Princess Niyla¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Rowan Scott| T: A D Brown| OR: 66| D

50/1

80/1, ninth of 13 in handicap at Beverley (7.4f, good) 12 days ago. Yet to find her feet for this yard.

Form: 2797-79

(14)

B Associates¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: A Mullen| T: I Jardine| OR: 66

18/1

11/2, first run since leaving Jim Goldie when fifth of 7 in handicap at Hamilton (8.3f, good to soft) 13 days ago. Hit a real purple patch last summer.

Form: 3867-05

(10)

Covert Legend^p²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: S A Gray| T: T Collier| OR: 65

22/1

10/3, improved on recent efforts to win 9-runner handicap at Wolverhampton (8.6f) 25 days ago, despite typically missing break. Has good chance on form after 4 lb rise.

Form: 4-87661

Forecasts

Rayat (9/2), Finbar's Lad (5/1), Hale End (11/2), Red Hat Eagle (13/2), Star Shield (8/1), Mount King (11/1), Dumfries (14/1), Tobetso (18/1), Utilis (18/1), B Associates (18/1), Dutch Kingdom (20/1), Covert Legend (22/1), Boy Douglas (28/1), Paris Lights (40/1), Naval Academy (40/1), Princess Niyla (50/1)

COVERT LEGEND is a habitual slow starter but that has helped his mark and he overcame a tardy start when winning at Wolverhampton. If he's in that mood again, a 4 lb rise is well within his compass back on turf. Star Shield is very likely to give it a good go, with Red Hat Eagle on the shortlist following a promising return.