16:00 Newmarket

Saturday 29 July 2017

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3017:0517:40

Adnams Sole Star Handicap

Off time: 16:01 | Winning time: 1m 13.72s

(7)

Eqtiraan⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Dane O'Neill| T: R Hannon| OR: 105| D

16/1

Has largely struggled to live up to a 250,000 guineas price-tag but he put a poor run here behind him when running on well to win a Salisbury Listed event over 6f last month. Likely there is more to come, though weighted accordingly.

Form: 32-3291

(2)

Danielsflyer¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 100| D

25/1

Winner here on the Rowley Course on seasonal reappearance over this trip but well beaten at York next time before struggling behind a few of these over C&D (good) latest. Only dropped 1lb, so others more appealing.

Form: 120-100

(4)

Tommy Taylor¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 100

5/1

York maiden winner last season who ran his best race since when touched off by Ekhtiyaar in hot handicap over C&D (good) earlier this month. Yard has won the last two runnings of this, so obvious claims despite a 5lb rise.

Form: 1246-32

(1)

Bacchus^p¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: T P Queally| T: B J Meehan| OR: 99

14/1

Big-price winner on return to action at Newbury, beating a well-fancied rival in the process but hasn't really progressed from that. Beaten just under 3L behind Ekhtiyaar when fifth of 19 over C&D (good) latest and clearly has no margin for error.

Form: 68-1395

(10)

Smokey Lane²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Martin Lane| T: Christian Williams| OR: 98| D

50/1

Was winning his first handicap when doing so at Leicester in May (6f, good to soft), where he had a bit in hand. However, he has struggled twice since off a revised mark and he needs improvement on his first run for a new yard.

Form: 557107

(9)

Nobly Born²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 97| D

5/1

Won a Yarmouth maiden on second juvenile start before finishing a runner-up in a Newbury Listed event. Solid effort on belated reappearance when a 1L third behind Lahore over 6f at Windsor and likely to come on for that. Major player off the same mark.

Form: 312-3

(8)

Private Matter¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: J Garritty| T: R A Fahey| OR: 96| D

25/1

Listed winner in France last season but hasn't returned in the same type of form this time around. Unfancied when a 7L 11th in the race won by Ekhtiyaar over C&D (good) and hard to enthuse over despite a 4lb drop.

Form: 01-4800

(5)

Waqaas³⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: M Harley| T: C Hills| OR: 96| D

33/1

Doncaster maiden winner on his third juvenile start but was last of four behind Mehmas when pitched straight into a Group 2 at Glorious Goodwood next time. Off the track for full year, so fitness needs to be taken on trust but evidently well-regarded.

Form: 6214-

(12)

Golden Apollo¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Tom Marquand| T: T D Easterby| OR: 95| D

5/1

Progressive profile, having won successive handicaps at Pontefract and York last month prior to finishing a close fourth in the race won by Ekhtiyaar over C&D (good) latest. Finished strongly that day and no obvious reason why he shouldn't again be on the premises.

Form: 1-43114

(6)

Rich And Famous⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Harry Bentley| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 90| CD

16/1

C&D winner last season who also scored at Doncaster (6f, good to firm) in April but has found life tougher in three runs since a subsequent weight hike. Vulnerable to improvers, even if rediscovering his earlier sparkle.

Form: 0-21709

(13)

Hyperfocus¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Josephine Gordon| T: H Palmer| OR: 86| D

12/1

Won two of his four juvenile starts but hasn't quite kicked on in the manner expected. Didn't get the clearest of runs when a 3L fourth behind Lightning Charlie over 6f at Ascot (good) and should again be competitive off present mark.

Form: 419-634

(14)

Scorching Heat³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: J Quinn| T: A M Balding| OR: 84| BF| D

5/1

Ffos Las maiden winner as a juvenile who also scored at Salisbury (6f, good to soft) on his reappearance. A runner-up over C&D last month but took a step backwards when a disappointing favourite at Ayr latest.

Form: 15-1223

(11)

Hart Stopper¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: Danny Brock| T: M L W Bell| OR: 84| D

10/1

In fine fettle since early May, making it three wins from his last four starts by scoring under Hayley Turner in a Ladies handicap over 6f at Yarmouth (good) earlier this month. More to do now off a 3lb higher mark in a deeper race.

Form: 431211

(3)

The Feathered Nest^p1²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: Aaron Jones⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 83| D

14/1

Only win so far came in a Chelmsford maiden last autumn but not beaten far in each of her last three starts, including when missing the break behind Avon Breeze over 6f at Pontefract (good) latest. Tougher assignment here as cheekpieces are introduced.

Form: 16-4233

Forecasts

Scorching Heat (5/1), Nobly Born (5/1), Golden Apollo (5/1), Tommy Taylor (5/1), Hart Stopper (10/1), Hyperfocus (12/1), The Feathered Nest (14/1), Bacchus (14/1), Eqtiraan (16/1), Rich And Famous (16/1), Private Matter (25/1), Danielsflyer (25/1), Waqaas (33/1), Smokey Lane (50/1)

Kevin Ryan has captured the last two runnings of this and saddles another live contender in the shape of Tommy Taylor who had a few of these behind when just touched off by Ekhtiyaar in a hot handicap over C&D earlier this month. The fast-finishing fourth that day, Golden Apollo, is another to take out of that race but NOBLY BORN could take some stopping. John Gosden's colt has a progressive profile and shaped encouragingly on his belated reappearance at Windsor recently, giving the impression there is plenty more to come. Any market confidence behind Waqaas would be interesting.