17:15 York

Saturday 26 August 2017

All13:5514:2515:0015:3516:1016:4017:15

Betfred Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:18 | Winning time: 58.77s

(1)

Copper Knight^t1²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Adam J McNamara| T: T D Easterby| OR: 100| CD

5/1

C&D winner in May and one length beating by Battaash at Sandown in June is good form. Not so good since but may be capable of going well off top weight in a first time tongue strap.

Form: 211304

(15)

Equimou^p1¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Darragh Keenan⁽⁷⁾| T: R Eddery| OR: 95| D

40/1

Behind some of these including Queen In Waiting and Copper Knight in her recent races, doesn't seem to have enough about her to reverse that form even with first time cheek pieces to help.

Form: 417598

(5)

Coolfitch²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Josh Doyle| T: D O'Meara| OR: 93| CD

20/1

C&D winner who also ran very well here two starts ago. Blew the start at Ascot last time out and is better than she showed there; not ruled out and could hit the frame.

Form: 521520

(4)

Justanotherbottle²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Phil Dennis| T: D Carroll| OR: 92| D

14/1

Has seemed out of his depth in two recent competitive sprint handicaps, no reason he should fare any better here having been dropped just 1lb.

Form: 933109

(8)

Holmeswood¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Callum Rodriguez⁽³⁾| T: M Dods| OR: 92| D

9/2

Hat-trick seeker who is up another 5lb following a victory at Ripon last time out. This obviously represents a big step up in class but he has shown marked improvement recently and further progression is possible.

Form: 345411

(14)

Major Jumbo⁵⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: K A Ryan| OR: 91| BF| D

9/1

Ultra-consistent type who has gone up 22lb so far this season and still looks capable of further improvement. Seems to handle larger fields well and his trainer has been in good form this week.

Form: 121232

(6)

Evergate⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Jonathan Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 91| BF| D

10/1

Excuses at Doncaster latest when not enjoying a perfect passage, but was a constant improver prior to that and can resume that progress now with his apprentice rider taking a useful 7lb off his back.

Form: 0-22215

(13)

Queen In Waiting²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Richard Oliver⁽³⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 90| D

28/1

Form has a tailed off slightly but she had been showing plenty in the early part of the year and a return to that form would see her go close in this admittedly competitive affair.

Form: 515588

(17)

Batten The Hatches^b²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Louis Steward| T: T D Barron| OR: 89| D

9/1

Solid efforts since switching to handicap company including a victory at Redcar two starts ago. Not necessarily out of it on his current mark and drawn near plenty of pace out wide.

Form: 15412

(11)

Carlton Frankie²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 89| CD

20/1

Won her maiden at this course over slightly further. Still much higher than her last winning mark and may find this weight a prohibitive one, especially in a race such as this.

Form: 91-1108

(19)

Mayleaf Shine^h²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: R P Downey| T: I Jardine| OR: 88| D

25/1

Seems ground-versatile and second at Musselburgh last time was a more encouraging effort. Likes to come from the back off a strong pace, and may get the race run to suit here.

Form: 69-4002

(3)

Intense Romance²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: M Dods| OR: 86| D

14/1

Has shown she is capable of winning more minor handicaps than this, ability to prove up at this level but possess plenty of speed and managed to produce a career-best two starts ago.

Form: 141214

(2)

Black Isle Boy²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Edward Greatrex| T: D O'Meara| OR: 85

33/1

Won his first three starts this year before coming up short off a higher mark recently. Should be drawn well, though, and is now only 3lb higher than at the time of his last win.

Form: 111627

(7)

Pennsylvania Dutch¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: George Wood| T: W J Haggas| OR: 84

13/2

Looked highly promising in his first two starts, not quite so good since but retains significant potential and is very possibly better than his current mark.

Form: 1-153

(10)

Rozy Boys²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Hollie Doyle| T: T D Barron| OR: 84| D

33/1

Wolverhampton maiden winner on debut (5f, standard), but has finished last of all in his two races since and looks set for another minor role here.

Form: 16-0

(9)

Tahoo³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Jack Duern| T: K R Burke| OR: 84| CD

25/1

C&D winner who likes to try and make all if possible in her races. Seems to be plenty of pace on here and so could be vulnerable if taking others on for the lead early.

Form: 844314

(18)

Impart¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Shelley Birkett| T: D O'Meara| OR: 83| D

40/1

Hasn't been running quite as poorly as his form figures suggest in his recent races, more still needed back down to his most recent winning handicap mark.

Form: 156866

(12)

Trick of The Light^b1¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: David Egan⁽³⁾| T: R Varian| OR: 82| BF| D

11/1

Consistent sort who has place in all five of his starts so far this season. Wears first time blinkers here which could help aid his concentration in the biggest field he has taken on to date.

Form: 331232

(16)

Yorkshiredebut^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: Aaron Jones| T: P T Midgley| OR: 78| D

25/1

Races from just out of the handicap and looks out of her depth in a race of this quality; a fair way above his two winning handicap marks so far.

Form: 153616

Forecasts

Holmeswood (9/2), Copper Knight (5/1), Pennsylvania Dutch (13/2), Major Jumbo (9/1), Batten The Hatches (9/1), Evergate (10/1), Trick of The Light (11/1), Intense Romance (14/1), Justanotherbottle (14/1), Coolfitch (20/1), Carlton Frankie (20/1), Mayleaf Shine (25/1), Tahoo (25/1), Yorkshiredebut (25/1), Queen In Waiting (28/1), Rozy Boys (33/1), Black Isle Boy (33/1), Impart (40/1), Equimou (40/1)

Another fiercely competitive handicap, and this can go to EVERGATE. Like a few of these Robert Cowell's gelding has improved consistently this year and holds valid excuses for a sub-par performance at Doncaster when last seen. On what should be a workable mark he narrowly shades preference here over Roger Varian's Trick of The Light, who wears first-time blinkers, and Batten The Hatches, another improver who could be capable of further progression.