15:40 Ripon

Sunday 21 May 2017

All14:0014:3515:1015:4016:1016:4017:10

Ripon, Yorkshire's Garden Racecourse Handicap

Off time: 15:42 | Winning time: 1m 53.89s

(2)

Snoano¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 102

4/1

Winner at Pontefract on return before finding Group company too strong at Chester last time. Would prefer slightly further to travel.

Form: 0518-15

(1)

Knight Owl²⁰⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: George Wood⁽⁵⁾| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 93| D

7/1

Winner over this trip on seasonal bow in 2016 and not disgraced here in the Ripon Rowels. Poorly drawn when fancied for the Cambridgeshire and has to be considered a leading player in this.

Form: 1/13204-

(8)

Briardale³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: J D Bethell| OR: 90

15/2

Made all to land his second race at Newcastle last time and he has also scored on turf at York and Beverley. Trip and ground seem fine but needs to produce another improved display to defy a career high mark.

Form: 026-561

(10)

Empress Ali²¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: T P Tate| OR: 90| C

22/1

Game mare who is suited to 1m2f and some give underfoot. On a career high mark following her success at Pontefract last autumn and will probably need the run judged on her previous seasonal debuts.

Form: 394531-

(6)

Gurkha Friend²²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: S De Sousa| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 90| C

2/1

Well suited to front-running tactics and scored over 1m here last time. That form has taken knocks since and remains to be seen if he can dominate over this longer trip in better company.

Form: 4280-31

(5)

Strong Steps^p³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 90

16/1

Both successes have come at Chelmsford when with Hugo Palmer. Last of 17 at York last Thursday when racing from out of the handicap. Sixth in the Spring Mile on his return and well weighted with Knight Owl on their meeting at the Craven meeting in 2016.

Form: 516-600

(4)

Rainbow Rebel⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 87

8/1

Winner of four races last term and remains 7lb above his last winning mark. Chance not obvious at the weights but four-year-olds have an excellent record in this.

Form: 11226-6

(3)

Silvery Moon¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 8-5| J: Rachel Richardson⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 86

25/1

Seems to need some give in the ground these days and with his last two wins coming off marks of 85 and 86 then this represents his best chance of a win since his Ayr success last September. Doubtful he is up to this grade at this stage of his career and others look more likely.

Form: 614-500

(7)

Miss Van Gogh²²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 83| C

13/2

Winner of five races who is just 1lb above her last winning mark. Had a wide draw when taking the eye in fifth last time and now meets Gurkha Friend on much more favourable terms. Has won here previously so looks set to go close.

Form: 99480-5

Non-Runners

(9)

Weekend Offender³⁹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 4

T: K A Ryan J: T Eaves

Forecasts

Gurkha Friend (2/1), Snoano (4/1), Miss Van Gogh (13/2), Knight Owl (7/1), Weekend Offender (7/1), Briardale (15/2), Rainbow Rebel (8/1), Strong Steps (16/1), Empress Ali (22/1), Silvery Moon (25/1)

A strong case can be made for most in this with Briardale and Gurkha Friend both winning well last time and now requiring career bests to follow up. Knight Owl won first time out last season so cannot be ruled out whilst Miss Van Gogh is down to an attractive mark. Snoano is dropped in class having not been disgraced in Group company at Chester last time. WEEKEND OFFENDER represents an age group that have won six of the last nine renewals of this. His latest run looks good given the winner ran a big race at Ascot last weekend and the runner-up bolted up at Newmarket on Friday. He looked unlucky in running that day and he is selected to gain compensation.