Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Three points of interest
Weight swing gives Betweenthesticks the edge in Another Baar rematch
It's currently 1-1 between Another Baar and Betweenthesticks this month, but the latter looks weighted to come out on top in their latest clash in the five-furlong handicap at Ripon (16:23) on Monday.
Betweenthesticks put some disappointing efforts behind him to return to form at Pontefract, where he just held on by a short head from Another Baar with the pair three and a quarter lengths clear of the third. But a 1 lb swing in the weights was enough for Another Baar, who was fitted with blinkers for the first time, to reverse the form at Catterick last week.
It wasn't such a tight finish at Catterick, though the margin was still only half a length so the 5 lb penalty for that success should make life tougher for Another Baar. Betweenthesticks is able to run off the same mark as last week, so he meets his old rival on 5 lb better terms and looks capable of turning the tables again. This is a typically competitive sprint handicap, and certainly no private battle, but Betweenthesticks looks weighted to go well in his bid for a fourth win of the season and narrowly heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
Hachiman one to note given the Crisfords' handicap record
Simon and Ed Crisford have a highly creditable strike rate of 19.3% in British Flat races but that improves to an eye-catching 25.7% with handicap debutants. For context, since the Crisfords sent out their first runners in June 2020, only two trainers who have had at least 100 handicap debutants have a better strike rate with such types. Those trainers are Charlie Appleby (27.5%) and Sir Mark Prescott (26.7%).
The Crisfords' handicap debutants are, therefore, entitled to plenty of respect and they have an interesting representative in the penultimate mile-and-half-a-furlong event (16:28) at Epsom on Monday. Hachiman showed improved form to win a Lingfield maiden this month to get off the mark at the third attempt. He can have that performance upgraded further, however, as he was caught on heels and short of room at a crucial stage when the pace was lifting, and that left him with plenty of ground to make up in the straight. He finished with a flourish, though, to hit the front close home and score by a neck.
An opening BHA mark of just 72 is likely to underestimate Hachiman based on how well he did to win at Lingfield, and his useful pedigree certainly offers hope he can carry on progressing. Also of significance is the booking of champion jockey Oisin Murphy, a move which has generated Timeform's Jockey Uplift Flag.
Small rise in weights underestimates River of Joy
River of Joy won by only half a length at Cartmel when last seen, over the same course and distance she tackles on Monday (16:43), but she deserves plenty of credit for coming out on top given how that raced developed.
River of Joy was still going well after they jumped the final fence and started on the extremely long run for home, but she was caught on heels and shuffled back, leaving her with plenty to do. She still had a stiff-looking task as they made the final turn for home, but River of Joy found plenty to surge into the lead close home, earning the Horse In Focus Flag from Timeform's reporter to mark her out as one likely to be of firm interest next time.
The handicapper has nudged River of Joy up 2 lb for that narrow success, but the margin of victory undersells her superiority and she comes out with a clear advantage on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, heading the list by 6 lb. She also still has the Timeform 'small p' to show that further improvement is expected, so she looks capable of making it three from three over fences and staying a step ahead of the handicapper for a while yet.
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