14:45 Newmarket

Saturday 19 August 2017

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Randox Health Handicap

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 1m 12.22s

(6)

Eqtiraan²¹

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

10/1

His form this year has shown him to be useful with his Salisbury Listed win over 6f showing him at his best. Looked to have more to offer based on that run with his last run underling that point over C&D off this challenging mark only giving best to some very progressive sorts.

Form: 2-32915

(7)

Bacchus²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: A Kirby| T: B J Meehan| OR: 100

9/2

He's been competitive all year and was seen at his best last time out in a good quality handicap over C&D (best performance yet). Still a slight question mark over the trip and may need a good test at this trip to be shown at his best (finished in front of Eqtiraan last time out).

Form: 8-13953

(11)

Tommy Taylor²¹

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

4/1

Big field handicaps look very much his metier having been touched off in one on his penultimate start over C&D off a mark of 95. Nothing went his way in a similar contest last time (badly hampered) and still looks well handicapped and should be one of the leading players.

Form: 246-320

(2)

Danielsflyer²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 98| D

14/1

Improvement was forthcoming in a big way when he won on his seasonal/handicap debut giving a hint that there may be better to come. Put in a couple of ordinary performances after that but bounced back over C&D last time (suffered interference) and work to do with a couple of these.

Form: 20-1008

(8)

Merlin²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: S M Levey| T: M L W Bell| OR: 95| D

11/2

Progressive type who has won three of his last four starts with his best performance coming last time out over 6f at Haydock. None of his wins have been in this grade though and he'll need to step forward again to cope with this rise in class.

Form: 2-21121

(5)

Dakota Gold²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Connor Beasley| T: M Dods| OR: 93| D

4/1

On the up-and-up this year and rarely runs a poor race with two wins already on the board this season in lesser company. Gave himself plenty to do last time but travelled well and worthy of a try in this better company stepping up in trip.

Form: 105-121

(1)

Silent Echo^h1³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: K Shoemark| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 91| BF

12/1

The form he showed on his first two starts of the year certainly marked him down as one to be interested in. Those wins came over 7f though and it remains to be seen how he copes with this shorter trip having disappointed last time when failing to settle properly.

Form: 7-116

(10)

Poet's Society¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 87| C| D

12/1

One of the more exposed types in this having his 12th race of the year although that's not unusual for one from this stable. Was rewarded for his consistency when picking up a 5f handicap here but had failed to build on that running poorly on his last two starts.

Form: 241975

(9)

Farleigh Mac²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: J Quinn| T: A M Balding| OR: 80| BF| D

10/1

This class of handicap will be all new to him as his previous win came in a Windsor 0-75 contest (looked more straightforward than before), It may well have been a busy period had caught up with him when failing on his latest start and he runs from 4lb out of the handicap here.

Form: 761323

Non-Runners

(4)

Ultimate Avenue³⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: E Walker J: P Cosgrave

(3)

Victory Angel¹⁸

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: R Varian J: Harry Bentley

Forecasts

Dakota Gold (4/1), Tommy Taylor (4/1), Bacchus (9/2), Merlin (11/2), Victory Angel (7/1), Ultimate Avenue (7/1), Eqtiraan (10/1), Farleigh Mac (10/1), Silent Echo (12/1), Poet's Society (12/1), Danielsflyer (14/1)

Not many that you can leave out of the equation here in a very competitive three-year-old handicap with the consistent Merlin and Dakota Gold two to note. Ultimate Avenue has yet to really prove himself over this trip but has the look of a sprinter if he gets a strongly run race with Victory Angel another worthy of close attention. TOMMY TAYLOR has the look of one though who has further improvement in him and he did look desperately unlucky last time out when hampered in the closing stages after travelling like a dream throughout the race.