17:35 York

Thursday 18 May 2017

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:3517:0517:35

Investec Wealth Handicap

Off time: 17:35 | Winning time: 3m 37.5s

(1)

Saved By The Bell²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Patrick Vaughan⁽⁷⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 85| C

16/1

Ran up a hat-trick over 1m4f in 2014 but sole win since was here over 1m6f from 4lb lower almost two years ago. Handicapper has been reluctant to ease off despite the fact that he rarely got competitive last season, his best run being over C&D (good to firm) in July from 5lb higher. Has run well with cut but not yet won. Interesting with claimer up.

Form: 70306-8

(14)

Mr Cripps⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: R Kingscote| T: R M Beckett| OR: 85| BF

8/1

Won a 1m5f Lingfield maiden in August 2015 but not seen from then until beaten 11L when sent off favourite on his return at Leicester last month. Dropped 2lb for this and stepped up to this extreme trip, he has to prove that he stays this far. Sire and dam both won on soft, so should be able to cope with conditions.

Form: 241/8

(5)

Grumeti⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: F Sweeney| T: A King| OR: 84| D

9/1

On the same mark again as when winning the 2015 Cesarewitch and underlined his staying power with a 2m½f win at Wolverhampton in March on his return from a break. Looks as though that was run with this race in mind, goes on any ground and should be a major player.

Form: 50094-1

(7)

Gaelic Tiger²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 86| BF

5/1

Won a good ground Carlisle maiden (1m1f) on debut in August when with Mark Johnston but resumed for this stable last month and has been a beaten favourite in both starts this term (1m2f and 1m4f). Takes a major step up in trip for this and if pedigree is any guide then it is going to take some getting. Perhaps best watched.

Form: 1-22

(6)

Buonarroti⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: T Eaves| T: D Carroll| OR: 83

14/1

Won at Ayr over 1m5f (soft) in July from 2lb lower but held by the assessor thereafter. Neither try over 2m has so far yielded much promise and he certainly has it to prove over this far, though he will have more chance in this lower grade than when tried at Kempton in November.

Form: 35400-0

(12)

Graceland⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Louis Steward| T: M L W Bell| OR: 82| D

4/1

Consistency proved her undoing on numerous occasions after winning a Beverley handicap two years ago, but when finally tried over this trip at Ascot last time she carried this pilot to a narrow victory. Escapes a penalty for that apprentice race success and she handles cut in the ground, so she should be tough to beat.

Form: 23223-1

(8)

Tatting³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: P Mulrennan| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 81

33/1

Has been prolific at Southwell of late, winning four of his last five there in claimers and handicaps over 1m3f-1m4f, since joining this yard. Marked step up in trip here is at odds with his pedigree page, but interesting to see how he handles it.

Form: 21-1711

(17)

Injam⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: G Lee| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 80

20/1

3lb higher than when recording his sole success in a soft ground Haydock handicap over 1m6f in June. Yet to prove that he stays as far as this but should appreciate drop back to this class. Others make more appeal.

Form: 32100-8

(2)

Silva Eclipse⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: J Garritty| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 80| D

10/1

Was well campaigned last summer to complete a hat-trick over 1m3f, 1m6f and finally 2m. Well beaten in a better race than this on his Newcastle return but should be better for that, while he is proven on good to soft ground. Does still have to show that he is up to this level though.

Form: 5/4111-6

(3)

Blue Hussar^p²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: P J McDonald| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 77| D

14/1

Has enjoyed a successful spring over hurdles, winning two novices' contests (including on good to soft). Yet to win beyond 1m4f on the Flat, where his only handicap win was in 2015 from 5lb higher. Won't mind more rain, but his form suggests that unless they crawl, he might not get home.

Form: 844048-

(4)

Kajaki^p³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 77

9/1

Both wins have been on good to firm ground, but he has performed okay with cut. Unexposed over this far after an unlucky third at Ripon on his only try. Steps up in grade here but comes to the race in form after a Catterick reappearance win and has each-way claims from 6lb higher.

Form: 33313-1

(15)

On Fire^p¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: P Hanagan| T: J D Bethell| OR: 74

9/1

Improving with steps up in trip recently, winning a 1m2f Newcastle maiden, bettering that back there in a 1m4½f handicap and again over 1m6f at Nottingham (good to firm) last time. Raised 3lb for that and in a tougher race, but still has a squeak over a new trip that he looks likely to see out. Sire won with cut and dam handled it.

Form: 3-22121

(16)

Ice Galley¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: F Norton| T: P A Kirby| OR: 68

11/1

The only maiden in the field who has twice been within ¾L of a win, including last time out at Ayr (1m5f, good to firm). Has to prove that he gets this far and handles these conditions, not to mention the step up in grade and others make more appeal.

Form: 2450-72

Non-Runners

(9)

Parliamentarian²²⁰

Weight: 9-8| Age: 4

T: C Appleby J: Non Runner

(10)

Paris Protocol¹⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: R Hannon J: Non Runner

(11)

Gabrial's Star⁶

Weight: 9-4| Age: 8

T: R A Fahey J: Adam J McNamara

(13)

Lost The Moon¹⁰

Weight: 8-11| Age: 4

T: M H Tompkins J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Graceland (4/1), Paris Protocol (9/2), Gaelic Tiger (5/1), Parliamentarian (11/2), Mr Cripps (8/1), On Fire (9/1), Grumeti (9/1), Kajaki (9/1), Silva Eclipse (10/1), Ice Galley (11/1), Blue Hussar (14/1), Buonarroti (14/1), Gabrial's Star (14/1), Saved By The Bell (16/1), Injam (20/1), Lost The Moon (20/1), Tatting (33/1)

In its four runnings to date this race has been taken by horses rated 85, 86, 87 and 88, so that suggests that it should pay to concentrate on those towards the top of the list and although he is rated 84, GRUMETI will rightly be popular here. He has nothing to prove in terms of stamina or with regard to conditions, while he is on his Cesarewitch-winning mark and comes here in form. National Hunt trainers have a good record in staying handicaps here and he can add to that. The class act is Parliamentarian, though there will be concerns about his ability to see out the trip in this ground. Saved By The Bell is feared if able to run up to his current level of ability, while Graceland looks a major player and Kajaki and On Fire are both in good form and their ability to mix it in this grade is not ruled out.