17:55 Newmarket

Thursday 19 April 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:55

Close Brothers Premium Finance Handicap

Off time: 17:59 | Winning time: 1m 40.4s

(14)

Morlock¹⁸⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 86| BF

6/1

Winner on debut but found Group company too tough here in September and disappointed when favourite at Chelmsford last time. May improve on handicap debut but will need to.

Form: 173-

(8)

Mandalayan²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Rob Hornby| T: J G Portman| OR: 85| BF| D

12/1

Has run well on all three starts to date. won at Lingfield over the winter and ran okay when placed at Kempton last time. Will need more in this company but yard have had a bright start to the campaign and not dismissed.

Form: 2-13

(3)

Breath Caught¹⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: R M Beckett| OR: 84

3/1

Improved from debut to place at Sandown in September and followed up with a comfortable success at Doncaster when last seen in October. Form of that maiden franked significantly since and likely to improve. Leading player here.

Form: 821-

(15)

Wilson¹⁸²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Spencer| T: L M Cumani| OR: 83| BF

17/2

Ran well on second and third novice starts at Brighton, winning on fast ground before failing to quicken when last seen at Brighton. Drying ground probably in his favour but likely to need improvement off this mark.

Form: 714-

(2)

George¹⁸²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: S Kirk| OR: 83| BF

12/1

Unlucky not to have got his head in front to date, runner-up on each of his last three starts. Possible he will improve for better ground here so can't be discounted and jockey booking is eye-catching.

Form: 359222-

(1)

Maksab¹⁸⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: S De Sousa| T: M R Channon| OR: 83

7/1

Winner over 7f here last August and while he failed to build on that subsequently, drying ground should be in his favour and certainly can't be ruled out for a yard who have started the season in fine form. Booking of De Sousa another positive.

Form: 101454-

(7)

Island Sound²¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: L Morris| T: H Main| OR: 80

40/1

Well beaten on all three starts to date, including when tried in Group 2 company at Doncaster last time. A return to this grade may see him to better effect but doesn't look particularly well-handicapped on what he has achieved.

Form: 946-

(9)

Neeraan¹⁷⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Dane O'Neill| T: R Varian| OR: 79

10/1

Well bred sort who improved a little with each start last season. May do better now dropped back in trip for handicap debut.

Form: 454-

(12)

Christopher Wood²¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Oisin Murphy| T: M L W Bell| OR: 79| BF

22/1

Winner on debut at Salisbury but hasn't built on that in two starts since and beaten odds-on favourite at Ffos Las last time. Market may reveal expectations on return to action but handicap mark looks a little stiff.

Form: 142-

(5)

Launceston Place¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Fran Berry| T: H Spiller| OR: 78

22/1

Didn't look like the easiest ride last year and keen again on return at Lingfield earlier in the month. Hard to fancy until he learns to settle in his races and may need more time.

Form: 833-3

(11)

Shuhood¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: P Mathers| T: Ian Williams| OR: 77

33/1

Winner at Redcar on second start and final run of 2017 but hasn't really kicked on in three starts since joining this yard. Has to improve if he's to figure.

Form: 01-336

(10)

Agar's Plough¹⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: James Doyle| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 77

22/1

Ran well when runner-up on second start but he didn't followed that up on two subsequent starts. Makes handicap debut but others look better treated.

Form: 7255-

(16)

Intense Pleasure²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Josephine Gordon| T: H Palmer| OR: 76

20/1

Improved from debut to finish runner-up at Chelmsford and improved again when just beaten a neck third of 12 at Kempton last time. Handicapper has given him a chance off this mark for handicap debut.

Form: 423

(13)

Bertog¹⁷⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: T Eaves| T: J Mackie| OR: 76

20/1

Well beaten on first three starts but improved markedly on handicap debut over 7f here when last seen. Could be a player if improving for the step up in trip.

Form: 0563-

(6)

Echo Cove¹⁹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: J F Egan| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 74

12/1

Unplaced on all three starts to date. Needs to have taken a big step forward over the winter if he's to figure.

Form: 774-

Non-Runners

(4)

Plunger¹⁹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 3

T: P & O Cole J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Breath Caught (3/1), Morlock (6/1), Maksab (7/1), Wilson (17/2), Neeraan (10/1), Echo Cove (12/1), George (12/1), Mandalayan (12/1), Plunger (12/1), Intense Pleasure (20/1), Bertog (20/1), Christopher Wood (22/1), Agar's Plough (22/1), Launceston Place (22/1), Shuhood (33/1), Island Sound (40/1)

BREATH CAUGHT was a winner last time out and the form of that race has been franked by the second, third and sixth since. He may not only be well-handicapped, but there's a good chance he will improve and he'll be hard to beat if he does. Intense Pleasure is another well-handicapped sort who could improve on handicap debut. Bertog brings course form to the table after a good third here last year and that form shouldn't be underestimated.