16:25 Ascot

Friday 8 September 2017

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:30

Victoria Racing Club Handicap

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 2m 41.86s

(4)

Great Hall²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Fran Berry| T: M Quinn| OR: 95| CD

9/1

Scored under today's rider over C&D on Shergar Cup day beating Gawdawpalin by 1¼L with Niblawi in fourth. A 3lb rise makes things tighter and he may not get the race run to suit this time.

Form: 603561

(6)

Gawdawpalin²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: M Dwyer| T: S Kirk| OR: 91| BF| CD

9/2

Has produced career bests over C&D on his two starts since being gelded. Third to Great Hall a month ago but the sprint that developed then would not have been ideal. There promises to be more pace today and that makes him one to consider.

Form: 243912

(3)

Mutadaffeq¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 90| D

25/1

Made all to land an uncompetitive race in this grade at Pontefract and was subsequently beaten 20L there next time. Has plenty to prove off his current mark.

Form: 125916

(1)

Poyle Thomas²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: P C O'Donnell⁽⁵⁾| T: M Madgwick| OR: 88| D

50/1

Record of 4-14 but without a win since May 2014. Has clearly been difficult to train over the past year but was not too far off his best when reappearing at Newbury. Feasibly treated at present but ideally would want further.

Form: 2/2340-8

(5)

Alqamar^p⁷⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: R L Moore| T: C Appleby| OR: 87| D

10/11

Showed some nice form as a juvenile and cheekpieces made a big difference when hacking up at York on his reappearance. Mid-division in the Queen's Vase and gelded since. Rider 3-7 for the stable when partnering three-year-olds.

Form: 432-19

(7)

Star Of The East¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: David Probert| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 84| BF

5/1

Landed two races as a juvenile and was first past the post at Newmarket last month only to be demoted. Beaten since by an improved type and finished clear of the third who won by a wide margin on Wednesday. Up in the weights and faces a stiff task.

Form: 161-0D2

(8)

Roar⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Joey Haynes| T: B Ellison| OR: 78| BF

9/1

Potential pacemaker who landed a lower grade race at Newmarket before failing to dominate a small field at Ripon over this trip. Races from 3lb out of the handicap and that sets him a difficult task.

Form: 216-614

Non-Runners

(2)

Niblawi¹

Weight: 9-10| Age: 5

T: N P Mulholland J: S De Sousa

Forecasts

Alqamar (10/11), Gawdawpalin (9/2), Niblawi (9/2), Star Of The East (5/1), Great Hall (9/1), Roar (9/1), Mutadaffeq (25/1), Poyle Thomas (50/1)

Great Hall, Gawdawpalin and Niblawi clashed here in a tactical race on Shergar Cup day when the former got first run on his rivals. On these terms and in what ought to be a more truly run affair, a different outcome has to be considered a real possibility. ALQAMAR showed some decent form last year and accordingly made short work of his rivals on his handicap debut. A fair run in the Queen's Vase leaves him on a viable mark and the rider's record for the stable suggests he is worth following.