21:15 Chelmsford City

Thursday 12 October 2017

All17:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:4521:15

Book Your Christmas Party Here Handicap

Off time: 21:18 | Winning time: 3m 29.46s

(11)

Knight Commander¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Darragh Keenan⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 63| BF| D

8/1

Has improved 15lb over hurdles this summer since joining this yard. Potentially well treated if that improvement can be carried over to this new trip on the level. Two previous AW runs were inconclusive.

Form: 253565-

(7)

The Way You Dance^v⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: J F Egan| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 60| D

12/1

Hampered early over this trip for the first time last week and trailed in 12th of 14. Excuses for his previous run also but his profile is regressive and the yard have gone off the boil.

Form: 19-8300

(4)

Nepeta³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 67

8/1

Winner over 7f as a juvenile and in here on a career low mark and dropping into class six company for the first time. Sire has got a couple of stayers and she could find this trip beneficial.

Form: 424-845

(1)

Starshell^b1¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 63| BF

15/8

Has failed yo progress since two good efforts at Lingfield in May. He was never travelling well last time and the fitting of blinkers, usually a positive with this yard, looks a concern given that performance.

Form: 5-22346

(6)

Ballyfarsoon^v¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: S Donohoe| T: Ian Williams| OR: 54| C

9/2

Penultimate start indicated he was on the way back to the form he showed when scoring off this mark over C&D last term. A shorter trip and slow pace were against him last time. No obvious pacemaker here and that counts against him.

Form: 00-8085

(2)

Gee Sixty Six²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Joey Haynes| T: M H Tompkins| OR: 62

14/1

Half-brother to the yard's multiple winner Bracken Brae who is best at this trip. Form has dipped since the spring during a period when the yard have been struggling for winners. That remains the case and easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 255367

(5)

Midnight Mood²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Liam Keniry| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 51

16/1

Looked more like her old self last time when a staying on third over 1m4f. Tackles this trip for the first time for her first AW race since her debut. Just a few too many doubts to rate a selection with little evidence to say the switch will work.

Form: 5-70603

(10)

Wassail²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Callum Shepherd⁽³⁾| T: E De Giles| OR: 50

25/1

Winner of a poor Nottingham race in June and has gone well at Bath since. Well beaten on all four AW starts and hard to fancy as a result.

Form: 315209

(9)

Scarlet Thrush²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Danny Brock| T: L McJannet| OR: 56

50/1

First season trainer still seeking an elusive first winner. Takes a big gamble in moving this daughter of Kodiac up to 2m and hard to see that reversing her slide since the turn of the year.

Form: 5-57639

(8)

Gold Class^b,t⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: K Shoemark| T: O Murphy| OR: 45| BF

9/1

Market Rasen winner for this yard in July and has looked short of pace on two Flat starts since. Stopped quickly at Bangor last time and pedigree is not positive for his prospects of seeing out this new trip.

Form: 0/8P8-42

(3)

Navajo Star^v¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-1| J: David Egan⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 45

8/1

Showed a bit more here last time and enough to warrant a move up to this longer trip. Jockey booking takes the eye and she could be a player off this featherweight if the market looks positive.

Form: 680074

Forecasts

Starshell (15/8), Ballyfarsoon (9/2), Navajo Star (8/1), Knight Commander (8/1), Nepeta (8/1), Gold Class (9/1), The Way You Dance (12/1), Gee Sixty Six (14/1), Midnight Mood (16/1), Wassail (25/1), Scarlet Thrush (50/1)

If there was a chance of a decent pace Ballyfarsoon would be considered a worthy selection off this mark. It is unlikely NEPETA will have as much use made of her on his first venture over 2m but she could be the answer to a tricky finale. Her sire has got winners over this distance and she is dropped into basement grade for the first time. Off a career low mark she has a lot going for her. In contrast Starshell has appeared regressive and his last performance suggested he is going the wrong way. Knight Commander has been much improved over hurdles lately and that could leave him well treated here. He has been beaten in two previous AW starts but given he went off at 20/1 on both occasions it may be wise not to read too much into those efforts.