15:20 Ripon

Saturday 16 August 2025

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5016:2416:59

William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 1m 10.77s

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(7)

Nostrum^h¹⁸

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

18/1

12¼ lengths eighth of 10 to Witness Stand in Lennox Stakes at Goodwood (7f, good, 80/1) 18 days ago. Plausible mark for this handicap debut and it's likely that his respected yard will find the key to him before long.

Form: 628-868

(17)

Alzahir^t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: L Morris| T: J Candlish| OR: 100| D

10/1

Five wins from 14 runs this year, the latest at Ascot in July. Bit below form fourteenth of 27 in handicap at Goodwood (6f, good, 18/1) 14 days ago. May well be in the handicapper's grip for now.

Form: 411180

(3)

City Walk⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-6| J: Sean Kirrane| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 98| D

16/1

Ninth of 13 in handicap at Newcastle (7.1f, 12/1) 49 days ago. That was his first run following an 18-month absence, so he'll be sharper this time and it would be no surprise to see him play a part.

Form: 0516/0-9

(11)

Secret Guest⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Andrew Breslin⁽³⁾| T: B Smart| OR: 89| D

17/2

Latest win at Thirsk in May. Creditable second of 13 in handicap (12/1) at Thirsk (6f, good) 45 days ago. Very much one to consider off the same mark.

Form: 681072

(16)

Prince Of Pillo⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Barry McHugh| T: R A Fahey| OR: 88| C| D

22/1

Course winner. Five wins from 19 Flat runs. 10/1, ninth of 14 in handicap at Newcastle (5f) 50 days ago, merely closing up late. Others make more appeal.

Form: 561069

(6)

Fivethousandtoone^p¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 87| D

11/1

Latest win at Newcastle in June. Creditable second of 12 in handicap (11/1) at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 16 days ago. Likely to find one or two too good.

Form: 985182

(2)

Rousing Encore²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 87| D

5/1

Latest win at York in May. Good fourth of 19 in handicap at York (6f, good to firm, 15/2) 21 days ago. That was an eye-catching effort and he's a very strong candidate off the same mark.

Form: 561444

(13)

First Folio^p¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: Tom Kiely-Marshall⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 87| D

15/2

Respectable 3 lengths sixth of 11 to Mister Sox in handicap at this C&D (good, 6/1) 12 days ago. Others are more persuasive on this occasion.

Form: 6-09026

(5)

Grant Wood¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: Aiden Brookes⁽³⁾| T: P T Midgley| OR: 84| CD

12/1

C&D winner. 12/1, 3¾ lengths eighth of 11 to Mister Sox in handicap at this C&D (good) 12 days ago, not knocked about. Should be spot-on for this assignment and he needs considering.

Form: 40-2208

(1)

Intervention^p⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-5| J: William Pyle⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 83| D

16/1

Latest win at Wolverhampton in July. 18/1, respectable third of 13 in handicap at Chepstow (7.1f, good) 9 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Others have achieved more.

Form: 206313

(10)

Kodiac Thriller¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Rhys Elliott⁽⁵⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 82| BF

10/1

Latest win at Thirsk in May. Creditable ½-length third of 11 to Mister Sox in handicap (4/1) at this C&D (good) 12 days ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 143323

(15)

Supreme King¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: Cam Hardie| T: P D Evans| OR: 80| D

16/1

12/1, below form 6 lengths seventh of 13 to Intervention in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 16 days ago, making effort earlier than ideal. Looks vulnerable from a win point of view.

Form: 626567

(9)

Abduction¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-2| J: Shay Farmer⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 80| D

9/1

Didn't need to improve to win 10-runner claimer (9/2) at Chester (7.6f, firm) 13 days ago, kept up to work. Back down in trip and more on his plate back in handicap company.

Form: 441741

(4)

Mister Sox^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 80| CD

9/1

Four wins from 9 runs this year. 6/1, career best when winning 11-runner handicap at this C&D (good) 12 days ago, just holding on. 3 lb nudge fair enough and he's not without each-way hope.

Form: 807071

(12)

Beyond Borders⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-2| J: Laura Coughlan⁽³⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 80| D

80/1

Five wins from 19 Flat runs, the latest at Yarmouth in June. Seventh of 10 in handicap (13/2) at Nottingham (6.1f, good) 42 days ago. Readily passed over.

Form: 5-08017

(14)

Rock Opera^v²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: Ethan Tindall⁽⁷⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 79| D

8/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2024. Good third of 19 in handicap (18/1) at York (6f, good to firm) 21 days ago. Key player for last year's winning yard.

Form: 434373

(8)

Azure Zain¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: A Mullen| T: R A Fahey| OR: 81| D

40/1

Lightly-raced winner. Successful at Wolverhampton in June. Respectable fourth of 10 in handicap (28/1) there (6.1f) 16 days ago, left poorly placed. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 34104

Forecasts

Rousing Encore (5/1), First Folio (15/2), Rock Opera (8/1), Secret Guest (17/2), Mister Sox (9/1), Abduction (9/1), Kodiac Thriller (10/1), Alzahir (10/1), Fivethousandtoone (11/1), Grant Wood (12/1), Intervention (16/1), City Walk (16/1), Supreme King (16/1), Nostrum (18/1), Prince Of Pillo (22/1), Azure Zain (40/1), Beyond Borders (80/1)

The standout candidate is ROUSING ENCORE, who caught the eye when a close fourth at York three weeks ago and he looks tailor-made for this cavalry charge. Grant Wood landed the Silver Trophy on this card in 2024 and should be spot-on for this following his recent spin back from a break in the C&D handicap won by Mister Sox. He is second choice, with Rock Opera, who was just ahead of Rousing Encore at York but avoided the traffic problems that rival encountered, also of real interest.