18:40 Newmarket

Friday 21 July 2017

All17:3518:1018:4019:1019:4520:1520:45

Fly London Southend Airport To Lyon Handicap

Off time: 18:41 | Winning time: 1m 41.19s

(3)

Rigoletto²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Spencer| T: L M Cumani| OR: 85| CD

9/4

Progressing nicely in three runs, taking a Yarmouth maiden in June (1m, good) before adding smooth C&D win (good to soft) 22 days ago. There should be more to come and looks a major player in this.

Form: 511

(6)

Tafaakhor^b¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Dane O'Neill| T: R Hannon| OR: 83

16/1

Dark Angel gelding scooped a Brighton maiden in April (1m, good to firm) but hasn't been able to build on that in handicaps since. Only turf start (from four) in that run brought 7¼L defeat over this trip and Goodwood last month (good to firm) so will have to improve to take this off the same mark.

Form: 215535

(2)

Angel Down²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Finley Marsh⁽⁷⁾| T: H Candy| OR: 81| C

4/1

Lightly-raced individual made it two wins from five starts on turf when scoring over 7f here last month (good to soft). Step up to 1m should present no issues and has scope for more improvement with conditions set to suit.

Form: 510-671

(5)

Time's Arrow³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: R L Moore| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 81| D

9/1

Long odds-on when winning 1m Thirsk maiden on good to firm ground last month. Represents powerful trainer/jockey combination that won this race a year ago but will have to find a chunk of improvement to go in again.

Form: 82221

(7)

Sterling Silva⁶⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: R Hannon| OR: 80

20/1

Started off well last season, winning two from first three. Poor in both runs this term however, including over C&D in May when beaten almost 12L. Drops 4lb but looks to be weaker of the Hannon pair.

Form: 141-05

(4)

Arsenio Lupin^t⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: S De Sousa| T: D P Quinn| OR: 76

13/2

Went close on handicap debut at Nottingham (1m, good) in May before flopping since at Windsor (1m, soft). All bar pulled up there and should prove capable of better.

Form: 34320

(8)

Turning Gold^b⁹^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 69| D

11/4

Didn't need to improve when bringing up Yarmouth double over this trip last time out, easily coming clear. Has a 6lb penalty for that success but still looks good on figures and a strong bid for the hat-trick appears very likely.

Form: 0-93211

(1)

Spirit Of Sarwan³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Adam Beschizza| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 74

50/1

Scored on return to action over 7f at Lingfield on the AW in February but has toiled a bit since. Well beaten over 7f at Sandown last month (good to firm) and despite getting 3lb relief, faces tough task here.

Form: 152277

Forecasts

Rigoletto (9/4), Turning Gold (11/4), Angel Down (4/1), Arsenio Lupin (13/2), Time's Arrow (9/1), Tafaakhor (16/1), Sterling Silva (20/1), Spirit Of Sarwan (50/1)

Turning Gold comes here in blistering form after a double over the trip at Yarmouth. He's got a 6lb penalty to defy now but could easily prove good enough and will have a strong chance of winning again. At the likely prices, it might be worth siding with another progressive sort in RIGOLETTO, winner over C&D three weeks and also seeking to defy a penalty now. The pair look evenly matched but Luca Cumani's charge has cut his teeth at this level on the track, which sways the vote. Angel Down was back on track returned to turf last time out and represents another potential improver while Time's Arrow also gets on the shortlist for last year's winning trainer/jockey combo.