17:00 Ascot

Saturday 15 July 2017

All13:4014:1014:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

Woodford Reserve Handicap

Off time: 17:02 | Winning time: 2m 35.99s

(6)

Bin Battuta^p1²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Martin Lane| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 93

7/2

Met with interference and had to come from a long way back when finishing mid-division behind Atty Persse at Royal Ascot. Rider in excellent form for Godolphin this year and 6-6 for this trainer.

Form: 17-1348

(1)

Bear Valley¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: J F Egan| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 91

14/1

Close third to Atty Persse in the King George V but flopped at York nine days later when returned to shorter. Jockey bookings suggest Cape Coast is the stable's main hope.

Form: 80-6230

(11)

Euro Nightmare¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Jason Hart| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 87| BF

12/1

Two wins and two thirds this year have come over distances ranging from 9f-1m 6f. Hard to discount but looks fully weighted at present and there may be better treated opponents.

Form: 26-1313

(8)

Cape Coast⁵^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 80| D

11/4

Progressive colt who has picked up two minor prizes with the minimum of fuss. This is asking more but as this rider's preferred option he has to be considered.

Form: 6411

(3)

Melting Dew^v⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: David Probert| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 85

7/1

Visored and ridden more handily to produce a career best in defeat at Newbury last week. Hardly looks well handicapped but represents a yard that have taken two of the four renewals of this.

Form: 751-132

(9)

Alfarris⁵¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Dane O'Neill| T: W J Haggas| OR: 84| BF

12/1

Gets a 3lb pull with Melting Dew for a short-head from their Chelmsford clash in May. Looks to have more improvement in him and the yard continue in excellent form.

Form: 54-12

(10)

Society Red¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 81

14/1

Good effort in a competitive race at York last time but he is asked to go further here and his pedigree raises some doubts he will stay. A 4lb rise for his latest effort makes his task even harder and others are preferred.

Form: 2-63042

(5)

Mister Blue Sky¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Mitch Godwin⁽⁵⁾| T: S Kirk| OR: 80

20/1

In good form and happy with some give and on good ground. Shapes as though he will be even better over this longer trip and with a decent pace likely he should be able to settle. Capable of causing an upset.

Form: 42-7161

(7)

Galactic Prince²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: M Dwyer| T: A M Balding| OR: 78| D

8/1

Recent Goodwood winner who clashed with Melting Dew and Alfaaris at Chelmsford in May. Has work to do to reverse form with the latter who has scope to have improved significantly since.

Form: 34-7331

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

(2)

Special Relation³³

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: H Morrison J: Charlie Bennett

(4)

Wefait¹⁹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 3

T: R Hannon J: George Wood

Forecasts

Cape Coast (11/4), Bin Battuta (7/2), Melting Dew (7/1), Special Relation (7/1), Galactic Prince (8/1), Alfarris (12/1), Euro Nightmare (12/1), Wefait (12/1), Bear Valley (14/1), Society Red (14/1), Mister Blue Sky (20/1)

Melting Dew, Alfaaris and Galactic Prince clashed over 10f at Chelmsford in May. Conditions are different here but nevertheless the weights favour Alfaaris. He should have improved since and have little difficulty staying this trip. Mister Blue Sky makes each-way appeal and Cape Coast is the dark horse comihg into this who needs a market check. BIN BATTUTA represents a yard that do well at the July fixtures here and the booking of Martin Lane who has a 100 percent strike rate for the trainer this year is on board. He was noted staying on from a hopeless position in the King George V at Royal Ascot and his earlier form suggests he is capable of defying topweight.