14:45 Beverley

Thursday 27 April 2017

All13:4014:1014:4515:1515:5016:2517:00

2017 Bernard Evans Memorial Handicap

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 1m 31.37s

(2)

Aardwolf¹⁸⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: P J McDonald| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 88

5/2

One of two runners in the contest for a stable which have won this three times in recent years. Showed some decent form during his juvenile campaign (won on debut) and on handicap debut at Chester over 7f. Mark still looks fine but does face some improvers in this.

Form: 17553-2

(7)

Monks Stand^p¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 84

16/1

Won twice as a juvenile when with another yard and ended his first year with a second in a small field nursery at Kempton Park over 6f. Big price for his first start for his new yard and looked as though he may well need another few runs to bring him to concert pitch.

Form: 7672-96

(1)

Arc Royal¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 84

5/2

Took a while to get off the mark as a two-year-old but did so when taking a 7f Chester nursery (made all) and his previous runs at the track really helped him. Made his comeback this season over 6f at Pontefract and was given a very prominent and forceful ride and not surprisingly tired late on. Returns to further today and well drawn to force the pace again.

Form: 216-538

(3)

Fayez²⁵⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: P Makin| T: D O'Meara| OR: 83

9/1

Won on his debut over 6f as a juvenile but really essentially failed to match that form in four runs after that. Looked unsuited by a mile on his last start of his two-year-old year and returns here from a fair break with improvement needed.

Form: 10733-5

(4)

Kodiac Khan¹³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 80

3/1

The second runner from the stable in the race and on jockey bookings he looks the first string. Had plenty of experience as a juvenile (won twice) and ended the season with a win for this yard having previously won for another stable. Still looks competitive off this mark and has to be respected.

Form: 61451-4

(6)

Starlight Romance¹⁹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Sammy Jo Bell⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 75

6/1

The only filly in the field and represents the stable that won this contest last year. Showed some very consistent form last year without winning and made the frame on all her juvenile starts. Makes her handicap debut here and should pick up a race at some point although would need to improve to beat a couple of these.

Form: 34322-1

Non-Runners

(5)

Weloof⁴⁰

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: E A L Dunlop J: P Mulrennan

Forecasts

Weloof (9/4), Aardwolf (5/2), Arc Royal (5/2), Kodiac Khan (3/1), Starlight Romance (6/1), Fayez (9/1), Monks Stand (16/1)

Promise has been shown by a few of these and there’s more actual form to go on that is usual in three-year-old handicaps. Having had such a good record in the race Mark Johnston (won this in 2010, 2013 and 2014) runs two representatives and both Aardwolf and Kodiac Khan are worthy of a second look. Arc Royal would be interesting with an easy lead given how well he’s whipped around Chester from the front but WELOOF looks the one who has the most improvement in him and could well build on his maiden win in his first handicap.