20:40 Hamilton

Thursday 29 June 2017

All18:0018:3019:0019:3520:1020:4021:10

Patersons Of Greenoakhill Handicap

Off time: 20:42 | Winning time: 1m 1.21s

(4)

Black Grass¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Nathan Evans⁽³⁾| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 80| D

7/1

Made good improvement last year, rising from a mark of 58 to 78 with due to four wins and continued that first time out this season at Ripon from 2lb lower than today. Proved he can still have a say from 1lb higher at Redcar two starts ago and won't mind what the ground is. Should go very well.

Form: 20-1046

(7)

Foxtrot Knight¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: J Garritty| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 78| D

9/2

Won three times in 2015, but was in the grip of the handicapper from then until he scored on good to firm at RIpon (5f) in April. 1lb higher than that today and recent form suggests that he should remain very competitive so long as conditions are not worse than good to soft.

Form: 715734

(6)

Economic Crisis¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: A Mullen| T: C J Teague| OR: 75| CD

25/1

Has won an impressive seven times here over 5f/6f and from marks up to 70. Very versatile with regard to the going, has won from today's mark and she showed that she can still produce the goods from it at Redcar when beaten just ½L two starts ago. Looks a leading player.

Form: 0818-20

(9)

Casterbridge¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Neil Farley| T: E J Alston| OR: 73| D

3/1

Will want some rain, as all wins have been with some cut in the ground. The most recent of them came at Leicester (5f) last month from 3lb lower and recent form suggests that she might just be too high in the handicap at present as a result of that.

Form: U45154

(1)

Honeysuckle Lil^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Rachel Richardson⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 73| BF| C

5/2

Scored here on heavy ground (6f) in September and has been in good form back at the venue on her last two starts, both from today's mark. Has found one too good on each occasion and will need to find a bit extra to get her nose in front, but given that she is 2lb lower than last year's win here, that can't be ruled out.

Form: 9-44522

(11)

Star Citizen¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: K Stott| T: F Watson| OR: 73

8/1

Sole win came in a Leicester maiden (6f, soft) in 2014 and has clearly had some problems since then, having had just five further starts. Sliding in the weights as a result of some lengthy defeats and looks best watched until there are signs of a revival.

Form: 18/86-06

(3)

Desert Ace^p¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: T Eaves| T: I Jardine| OR: 71| D

16/1

Not quite as good as he was earlier in his career but did manage to win at Ripon (5f, good) in September from 5lb higher. First two efforts this season would give him a great chance from this mark, but recent efforts not so encouraging and would like to see some support for him to show confidence in a possible return to form.

Form: 6-44877

(8)

Salvatore Fury^v⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: G Lee| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 69| CD

14/1

Another for whom any rain would be a disadvantage, as all of his best turf form has been on good or fast ground, including three wins here over 5f/6f. 1lb below the mark from his latest win, in a similar race here last August, though all wins have been in cheek pieces as opposed to visor and couldn't be confident about him.

Form: 206076

Non-Runners

(5)

Alsvinder⁵⁶

Weight: 9-11| Age: 4

T: D O'Meara J: D Tudhope

(2)

Spirit Of Wedza⁵³

Weight: 9-2| Age: 5

T: Miss J A Camacho J: Lewis Edmunds

(10)

Eternalist⁹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 4

T: J S Goldie J: Sean Mooney

Forecasts

Honeysuckle Lil (5/2), Casterbridge (3/1), Spirit Of Wedza (4/1), Foxtrot Knight (9/2), Eternalist (6/1), Black Grass (7/1), Star Citizen (8/1), Alsvinder (8/1), Salvatore Fury (14/1), Desert Ace (16/1), Economic Crisis (25/1)

Black Grass is more consistent than many of these, but even he has thrown in a couple of ordinary efforts of late. Despite that, if he is back on song he will be a serious challenger again today. Economic Crisis is capable of a bold showing again, while Eternalist arrives in good form and unexposed, but she needs to make a fair step up to add to her Thirsk success. Preference is for HONEYSUCKLE LIL, who goes well here, is on a good mark and will not mind how much it rains before the starter lets them go.