17:05 Ascot

Saturday 9 September 2017

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:0517:40

Chapel Down Handicap

Off time: 17:06 | Winning time: 1m 17.89s

(17)

Magnus Maximus¹³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Finley Marsh⁽⁵⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 103| CD

16/1

Ended a long losing run at Kempton last year and went on to win two more races in 2016. Failed to show his best form at Meydan earlier in the year though and disappointing at Chelmsford last time. Bit to prove at present.

Form: 11-8706

(1)

Outback Traveller³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Fran Berry| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 100| CD

14/1

C&D winner at Royal Ascot last year but has been well beaten on all subsequent starts. Very poor at Goodwood when last seen when virtually tailed off and while he's back down to his last winning mark. He's hard to fancy after that effort.

Form: 950-000

(3)

Get Knotted^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: A Mullen| T: M Dods| OR: 99| D

6/1

Winner at York in July, benefiting from being held up off a strong pace. Drop back to 6f probably against him here but he ought to get a decent pace to aim at if he doesn't get outpaced.

Form: 394514

(11)

Jordan Sport^h²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock| OR: 98| D

11/4

Will like the ground here and showed that he was progressing last time out at Newmarket when dominating a small field and looks to be going the right way. Deserves to see what he can do in this grade but 7lb rise isn't ideal.

Form: 144431

(18)

Doc Sportello²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: P J Dobbs| T: A W Carroll| OR: 98| D

18/1

Winner at Newcsatle at the start of the year and clearly well suited to that surface. Disappointing here last time on Shergar Cup day on first start for this yard but entitled to come on for that and there's a suspicion he's on a fair mark.

Form: 210006

(14)

Blaine^b²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: Joshua Bryan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Barr| OR: 95| D

25/1

Group 2 winner as a juvenile and recorded just his second win in three years when making debut for this yard at Newbury in May. Very disappointing in three starts since but he's on a fair mark and not one to put a line through.

Form: 20-1000

(19)

Nobly Born²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: J Fortune| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 97| BF| D

13/2

Winner on his second star last year but not won since and has finished unplaced on his last three runs, including when favourite over C&D last time. Suspicion he's not quite going through with his effort and may need headgear to be seen at his best.

Form: 312-344

(4)

Barrington^t³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: S J Drowne| T: C Hills| OR: 95

50/1

Unplaced on all five starts since an impressive debut at Windsor last year. Has been highly tried, contesting Group contests in that time but well beaten in a pair of Class 3 handicaps on his last couple of starts and has a bit to prove at present.

Form: 16-6034

(8)

Repton¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Tom Marquand| T: R Hannon| OR: 93

18/1

Not won since landing a Salisbury maiden in May last year and has been slowly away on his last couple of runs. Likely to need more relief from the handicapper.

Form: 1580-60

(7)

Bossipop^b¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: T D Easterby| OR: 90| D

7/1

All three of his wins have come with cut in the ground and has been running well without getting his head in front of late. Further 2lb up the handicap for a narrow loss at Chester last time but that rise not unfair and clearly thriving currently.

Form: 231202

(12)

Ice Lord³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Hollie Doyle⁽³⁾| T: C F Wall| OR: 86| D

6/1

Yet to get off the mark for this yard but back below his last winning mark now and not disgraced at Newmarket last time out. Has run well with cut in the ground before so can't be ruled out.

Form: 0-02473

(2)

Gulliver^t¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Josephine Gordon| T: H Palmer| OR: 88

14/1

Just a maiden win at York to his name last year and largely struggled off this sort of mark since. Probably wants faster ground to be seen at his best and looks the second-string on jockey bookings.

Form: 740276

(20)

Poet's Society⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: R Ffrench| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 87| BF| D

25/1

Won three times as a juvenile on the AW but strike-rate has been a little disappointing on turf and he was a beaten favourite at Chester last time out. Probably better over shorter than this and others make more appeal.

Form: 975638

Non-Runners

(13)

Projection³⁵

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: H & R Charlton J: K Shoemark

(5)

Hakam⁵⁷

Weight: 9-1| Age: 5

T: M Appleby J: C Lee

(15)

Merlin²¹

Weight: 8-12| Age: 3

T: M L W Bell J: Non Runner

(10)

Dougan¹⁹

Weight: 8-9| Age: 5

T: P D Evans J: David Egan

(6)

Lightning Charlie¹⁹

Weight: 8-8| Age: 5

T: Mrs A J Perrett J: M Dwyer

(9)

Aventinus²⁵

Weight: 8-6| Age: 3

T: H Palmer J: Non Runner

(16)

Parnassian¹⁹

Weight: 8-5| Age: 3

T: Mrs A J Perrett J: Joey Haynes

Forecasts

Jordan Sport (11/4), Projection (11/2), Ice Lord (6/1), Get Knotted (6/1), Nobly Born (13/2), Bossipop (7/1), Merlin (8/1), Aventinus (10/1), Hakam (10/1), Gulliver (14/1), Outback Traveller (14/1), Magnus Maximus (16/1), Dougan (16/1), Doc Sportello (18/1), Repton (18/1), Parnassian (20/1), Poet's Society (25/1), Blaine (25/1), Lightning Charlie (33/1), Barrington (50/1)

BOSSIPOP is in the form of his life currently and he was only just touched off at Chester last time. With conditions like to suit, Tim Easterby's runner gets a narrow vote ahead of Jordan Sport who is another who will appreciate some cut in the ground and may be able to back up his win at Newmarket last time. Doc Sportello can bounce back from a disappointing effort last time out and may prove best of the rest.