16:20 Newbury

Saturday 17 May 2025

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:55

BoyleSports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap (Str)

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 1m 37.29s

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(12)

Ancient Rome⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: Jason Watson| T: C Hills| OR: 105| D

16/1

Smart gelding who acquitted himself well in Group company last term. Gelded prior to returning in Meydan earlier this year and he didn't look at home on the dirt when well-beaten in 1m Group 3 in March. Type to bounce back and he was successful from this mark on sole previous start in handicaps.

Form: 2374-70

(1)

Crown Board²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: W Buick| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 104

12/1

Lightly-raced 5-y-o who was successful on only start at 3 yrs and stepped up on last season's return when a good fourth in listed company at Sandown (1m) last September. Well held kept to that company only start since at Kempton last month and switch to handicaps a plus now. Hood discarded.

Form: 1/64-7

(10)

Epictetus³⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: William Carver| T: J A Osborne| OR: 104| D

33/1

Smart performer at 3 yrs, winning twice including Goodwood Group 3 but seen only twice last season, again running well below best when sixth of 8 in Diomed Stakes at Epsom (8.5f) last June. Changed hands for 80,000 gns since and the betting can guide on first crack at handicaps.

Form: 1548/56-

(6)

English Oak⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: K Shoemark| T: E Walker| OR: 103| D

12/1

Bolted up in the Buckingham Palace at last year's Royal meeting. Has lost his way a little since, failing to come on for his reappearance run at Haydock when well beaten in last week's Victoria Cup. Mark is easing but will need to see more positive signs before becoming of interest.

Form: 4629-90

(9)

Kingdom Come¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Rossa Ryan| T: C G Cox| OR: 101

28/1

Winner of the 1m all-weather championship final handicap in 2024 and ran respectably in the 2025 edition when fourth of 14 at Newcastle in April. However, not quite the same force on turf and he was below his best when last of 13 in the Thirsk Hunt Cup 2 weeks ago.

Form: 902-340

(8)

Ebt's Guard⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: W Muir & C Grassick| OR: 96| CD

11/1

Showed improved form after 6 months off (also gelded) when just holding on in Spring Cup over C&D in April. Did too much too soon when down the field in last week's Victoria Cup and he's not out of things from this mark, provided he can channel his energy efficiently.

Form: 6618-10

(2)

My Cloud¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: S De Sousa| T: R Varian| OR: 90| D

5/6

Very well-related sort who sauntered clear of 4-runners in a Newcastle novice (1m) in the autumn and duly made a mockery of his opening mark after 6 months off when impressively bagging 10-runner Ascot handicap (1m) 17 days ago. 10 lb rise unlikely to prove enough to stop him.

Form: 221-1

(11)

Classic³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: David Probert| T: R Hannon| OR: 88

11/2

Shaped well on several occasions last season and returned from 7 months off with a good third of 14 in a C&D handicap 5 weeks ago, keeping on having been left with too much to do. Undoubtedly has a race in him from this sort of mark if putting it all together.

Form: 29656-3

(5)

Boyfriend³⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: S Hitchcott| T: R Hannon| OR: 83| C

11/1

Improved when making a winning handicap debut on heavy ground here (7f) in 2023. Seen only twice last term, unlucky not to add to his tally when good third of 11 in handicap at Goodwood (1m), finishing with a flourish. 11-month absence to overcome but of definite interest from this mark.

Form: 6441/73-

(3)

Dutch Decoy¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 8-4| J: J Fanning| T: C Johnston| OR: 83| D

25/1

Tough, useful handicapper but he does arrive on a losing run, going backwards from his reappearance eighth of 13 in handicap (16/1) at Newmarket (9f, good to firm) 14 days ago, doing too much too soon. Others more persuasive despite easing mark.

Form: 4600-58

(4)

Kitaro Kich^t²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-3| J: Hollie Doyle| T: George Baker| OR: 82| D

22/1

Different proposition on AW since the turn of the year, bagging a fourth success since January at Chelmsford (1m) in March. Good second from career-high mark at Kempton (7f) followed 26 days ago but now his task is to translate his recent improvement back on turf.

Form: 311212

Non-Runners

(7)

Witch Hunter⁷

Weight: 9-12| Age: 6

T: R Hannon J: Joe Leavy

Forecasts

My Cloud (5/6), Classic (11/2), Boyfriend (11/1), Ebt's Guard (11/1), English Oak (12/1), Crown Board (12/1), Witch Hunter (12/1), Ancient Rome (16/1), Kitaro Kich (22/1), Dutch Decoy (25/1), Kingdom Come (28/1), Epictetus (33/1)

The very well bred MY CLOUD made a mockery of his opening mark when running out a most impressive winner on return/handicap debut at Ascot 17 days ago and a subsequent 10 lb hike in the weights may not be enough to prevent Roger Varian's upwardly mobile 4-y-o going in again. Classic ran well when third to Ebt's Guard on return in a C&D handicap recently and surely has a race in him from this mark. The returning Boyfriend is another to note.