18:45 Chelmsford City

Thursday 4 January 2018

All18:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Bet toteJackpot At betfred.com Handicap

Off time: 18:57 | Winning time: 1m 39.20s

(9)

Fighting Temeraire¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: R Winston| T: D K Ivory| OR: 80

10/1

Twice successful on turf but has never won over this 1m trip from four attempts and is now 0-3 on the AW after only managing 10th of 13 at Kempton last time. Mark is tumbling though.

Form: 5/04000-

(6)

Bold Prediction¹⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: E Walker| OR: 79| CD

3/1

Former C&D winner with bags of experience but it's quite a long time since he won. For all that, his handicap mark is coming down accordingly and he was only beaten 4½L over C&D when last seen out in July. May need this.

Form: 463058-

(7)

Gentlemen^h²²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Danny Brock| T: P S McEntee| OR: 79| C

20/1

Goes well here but all four of his course victories came over shorter. That said, he was only beaten 3½L on a rare attempt over this trip at Lingfield last month and he has slipped to potentially handy mark.

Form: 0709U6-

(10)

Lagenda^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: G C O'Neill⁽⁷⁾| T: Kristin Stubbs| OR: 77

5/1

Poor strike rate (1-24) but has run well in three runs since joining this yard, finishing a ¾L second behind The Eagle's Nest over C&D last time out. Respected on that form, though stall 10 is a blow.

Form: 240332-

(5)

Casina Di Notte^b⁹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: M M Monaghan⁽³⁾| T: M Botti| OR: 77| D

16/1

Not many miles on the clock and improved to open his account at Yarmouth (1m, good to firm) in the summer. Only subsequent run saw him catch the eye in defeat over C&D in October, so worth a second look.

Form: 620917-

(1)

Able Jack^v²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: S M Levey| T: S C Williams| OR: 75

9/4

Lightly-raced since winning over 7f at Sandown for Andrew Balding in July 2016, though offered something for new yard to work on when fourth over 7f at Newcastle last month. Shapes as though 1m could suit.

Form: 0157/64-

(2)

Wicker¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: M Dwyer| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 72| CD

8/1

Lightly-raced filly who didn't have to improve when making hard work of opening her account in a maiden over C&D last month. Had earlier found trouble-in-running when a good third off this mark in a handicap, so looks a player.

Form: 773231-

(3)

Ebtkaar¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: B A Curtis| T: M Appleby| OR: 71

7/1

Picked up cheaply from Roger Varian's yard, he was returning from a lengthy absence when an encouraging second over 7f at here on his handicap debut last month. Sure to appreciate this return to 1m, one to consider.

Form: 5/332-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 15p in the pound

Non-Runners

(8)

Lunar Deity²²

Weight: 9-2| Age: 9

T: S C Williams J: Milly Naseb

(4)

Samphire Coast²⁰

Weight: 8-8| Age: 5

T: D Shaw J: P Mathers

Forecasts

Able Jack (9/4), Bold Prediction (3/1), Lagenda (5/1), Samphire Coast (6/1), Ebtkaar (7/1), Wicker (8/1), Fighting Temeraire (10/1), Casina Di Notte (16/1), Gentlemen (20/1), Lunar Deity (25/1)

Though disappointing for Roger Varian, EBTKAAR defined a lengthy absence to shape encouragingly on his handicap debut for Michael Appleby over 7f here recently when a keeping-on second behind Broughtons Knight. The combination of a recent run and an extra furlong is bound to see him in a better light and there would appear to be races to be won with him off his present mark. Recent C&D maiden winner Wicker also merits serious consideration back in a handicap whilst the likes of Able Jack and Casina Di Notte caught the eye in defeat last time out.