17:55 Leicester

Tuesday 12 September 2017

All14:2514:5515:2515:5516:2516:5517:2517:55

Swan Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:55 | Winning time: 2m 11.2s

(11)

Castle Talbot^p³³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: David Egan| T: Tom Clover| OR: 65

5/1

1-23 so far, that sole win being over 7f at Brighton (good to firm) last season. Not beaten far in all four starts for this stable and remains on the same mark as when 1½L runner-up at Yarmouth (1m1f, good to soft) last time. Competitive.

Form: 56-3422

(9)

Rock'n Gold³³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Finley Marsh⁽³⁾| T: A Wintle| OR: 65

66/1

Went close on his debut when with Luca Cumani, but has clearly regressed since then and has been beaten 59L and 52L on his last two starts. Drop 5lb going into this and steps back up in trip, but not easy to fancy.

Form: 245-008

(12)

Sir Jack²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: C Lee| T: A W Carroll| OR: 63| CD

11/2

Sole success was in a C&D seller (good) in May and went on to string together several placed efforts in handicaps and a claimer. Some of those were from today's mark, so he needs to find a little bit more to win.

Form: 223225

(14)

Missguided⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Callum Shepherd| T: A M Hales| OR: 63| D

9/1

Came good on his 11th and final start in Ireland when winning over 1m2½f (good) at Down Royal in June. Since switched to this yard for whom he makes a debut from a 3lb higher mark. Market check suggested.

Form: 505301

(5)

Stoneboat Bill²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: G C O'Neill⁽³⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 62| CD

6/1

One of his two career wins came in this last year from a 1lb lower mark. Well beaten last time, but has put in a few decent efforts in defeat this term and is entitled to plenty of respect now returning for this.

Form: 222557

(6)

Inflexiball²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: K Shoemark| T: J Mackie| OR: 62| CD

7/1

Beaten a short head in this last year and now 3lb better off with the winner Stoneboat Bill. In really good form of late, including a C&D (soft) success in JUly and looks a leading player again.

Form: 765113

(3)

Big Time Dancer^p¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Robinson| T: B Ellison| OR: 61

8/1

Won on his first two starts for this stable last season, though has not really threatened to add to that this term. Well worth another go at this trip from a mark just 2lb higher than his last win and a market check is suggested.

Form: 11-6568

(13)

Moojaned¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Rossa Ryan⁽⁵⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 58| D

7/1

Has done most of his winning over further than this and has been on the slide in the weights for some time after a string of defeats. Is capable from this sort of mark, but will need a true run race to be seen to best effect.

Form: 362555

(1)

Midnight Mood^p1³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S J Cummins⁽⁵⁾| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 54| D

16/1

Sole win from 10 starts was over this trip at Salisbury last year. Held by the handicapper since, but he has now dropped her to 2lb below that winning mark and with cheekpieces a potential positive, a return to form would not surprise.

Form: 145-706

(2)

Navajo Storm²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Jane Elliott| T: M Appleby| OR: 53

18/1

Has run well at Yarmouth a couple of times in recent months and starts today from 1lb lower than the first of those (1m2f, good to firm) in July. That now gives her what looks to be her best chance yet of success.

Form: 0/78-554

(10)

May Mist⁷⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: E J Walsh| T: T Wall| OR: 52

100/1

After going close in a Wolverhampton maiden, her form has tailed off this year, which has seen her slide 10lb in the handicap. Very little encouragement at Chepstow last time, however, and looks up against it.

Form: 52-6899

(8)

Zaria^p¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Gabriele Malune⁽⁵⁾| T: R J Price| OR: 51

10/1

Reserves her best for Chepstow and usually over 1m, but she ran well enough on her only previous try at this trip at Nottingham in July, when a 3¼L fourth from 2lb higher. Should be in the mix.

Form: 953403

(15)

Scent Of Power^t⁶⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Richard Oliver| T: B Leavy| OR: 46| CD

25/1

Sole win in 29 starts came over C&D in a seller last year. Has gone back up 4lb despite being beaten almost 4L here over 1m last time and she is still 5lb out of the handicap. Others preferred.

Form: 873645

(7)

Balmont Belle²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Rhiain Ingram⁽³⁾| T: B Leavy| OR: 45

100/1

It's now four years since her only win and there has been nothing to interest punters in what she has produced this term, with her refusal to race at Nottingham last time the latest issue. Impossible to recommend.

Form: 6-8696R

Non-Runners

(4)

Prosecute⁴⁷

Weight: 9-13| Age: 4

T: A Stronge J: George Wood

Forecasts

Castle Talbot (5/1), Sir Jack (11/2), Stoneboat Bill (6/1), Inflexiball (7/1), Moojaned (7/1), Big Time Dancer (8/1), Missguided (9/1), Zaria (10/1), Midnight Mood (16/1), Prosecute (16/1), Navajo Storm (18/1), Scent Of Power (25/1), Rock'n Gold (66/1), Balmont Belle (100/1), May Mist (100/1)

Prosecute could come back to form now dropped in grade, with Castle Talbot another towards the head of the weights who should be very competitive. Nonethless, NAVAJO STORM has shown enough to suggest that she might have a race like this in her from her reduced mark and she is suggested. Midnight Mood is back on a handy mark and is respected, while Zaria and last year's first two Stoneboat Bill and Inflexiball should again be thereabouts.