20:55 Hamilton
Friday 21 July 2017
All17:4518:2018:5019:2019:5520:2520:55
John Smith's Handicap
- 3YO plus  |  Class 5  |  1m 1f 35y  |  Good  |  7 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 20:55Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 1m 56.92s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
This is his level and he has a C&D win to his name from 2015. Ran well over a similar trip to this two starts ago at Carlisle, though not as good here over 1m3f last time. If he can put that behind him, then from a previous winning mark he can have a big say.
Scored here over 1m½f last year (good) and has recorded three more since then over 1m2f-1m4f. Well beaten from 1lb higher on his return from a break last time. Capable of better than that, though very likely to need another career best to win again today.
All four of his career wins have been here, two over C&D. Acts on any ground, so has a fair bit going for him. Can be forgiven his last start at Chester over further and in better company and now back at this level and this venue he can go very well again.
Goes into this on a handy mark, 5lb lower than one from which he scored last year. Stays 1m2f, but all of his best form is with cut in the ground. If conditions deteriorate before they race here then he would have to seriously enter calculations.
Scored here over 1m½f last month when the ground was fast and the runner-up won at Thirsk on Tuesday night. However, this gelding did not fare so well when last of five, beaten 22L at Carlisle last time (1m1f, good to firm). From the same mark today he now has a bit to prove.
Very difficult to win with, both successes having been back in 2014, one of them here over C&D. Has had numerous chances from below that day's winning mark, making the frame a few times but always found wanting. Hanagan back up for the first time in four years and you still can't rule out this gelding from a career-low mark.
Won three times for Richard Fahey, but has had seven races in fairly quick times since joining this yard this season and dropped a total of a stone in the handicap. Recent efforts still suggest that he will need further assistance from the handicapper before scoring again.
Non-Runners
5
(3)
Polar Forest13
Weight: 9-11|Â Â Age: 7
T: R C Guest  J: C Lee
NR
Forecasts
Indian Chief (5/2), Archipeligo (10/3), Amy Blair (7/2), Cliff Bay (4/1), Polar Forest (10/1), Bahamian C (11/1), Stardrifter (12/1), Galilee Chapel (25/1)
If the rains have arrived to soften conditions before this, then Indian Chief would very much be shortlist material, but a things stand it will be plenty quick enough for him and preference is for ARCHIPELIGO, who is very competitive in this grade and from this mark. He does have to put an ordinary effort from last time behind him and the same goes for Cliff Bay, who otherwise has claims. Bahamian C is worth a market check from this mark and with Paul Hanagan up.
- Archipeligo
- Cliff Bay
- Bahamian C
Prize Money
1st: £3,881.002nd: £1,155.003rd: £577.004th: £289.00
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