14:20 York

Thursday 17 May 2018

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:3517:0517:35

Betfred 'Supports Jack Berry House' Handicap

Off time: 14:21 | Winning time: 57.42s

(19)

Gracious John²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Fran Berry| T: P D Evans| OR: 101| CD

14/1

Very hit and miss but he's highly effective when he's in the right mood. Has the potential to hang right but drawn well here and arrives on the back of a win after an impressive effort at Newbury last time.

Form: 1-70161

(17)

Major Jumbo³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Nicola Currie⁽⁵⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 100| C| D

17/2

Arrives bidding for a hat-trick after finishing last season with an excellent course win over 6f and returned with a bang at Newmarket when allowed to dominate again. Unlikely to get an uncontested lead here and needs more from a career high mark.

Form: 23291-1

(8)

Edward Lewis²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 98| D

6/1

Started last season in good form for this yard after leaving John Gosden at the end of his three-year-old campaign. Seemingly in need of some relief from the handicapper of late and his two best efforts have come with cut in the ground.

Form: 90250-6

(2)

El Astronaute⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 98| D

15/2

Speedy front-runner - returned in fine form with placed efforts at Pontefract and Chester. More effective on a tight track with a bend rather than this test though and draw a potential negative with jockeys favouring the other side here Wednesday.

Form: 1225-23

(3)

Copper Knight²⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 96| CD

8/1

Started the season in fine form last year, landing back-to-back wins at Chester before a C&D success. Form tailed off towards the back end of the year but only 1lb above his last winning mark as a result and not ruled out.

Form: 130467-

(15)

Holmeswood²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: M Dods| OR: 96| CD

14/1

In flying form last year, rattled off a hat-trick with the third of those wins coming over C&D (dead-heat). Struggled in two starts since but entitled to come on for his recent reappearance run at Pontefract and potentially more to come this year.

Form: 41114-9

(13)

Pipers Note¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Barry McHugh| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 96| D

25/1

Won twice last year and well suited to fast ground but probably better suited to 6f these days and will need them to go a good gallop to bring his stamina into play.

Form: 9507-29

(11)

Desert Law²²

Age: 10| Weight: 9-1| J: L Morris| T: P T Midgley| OR: 95| CD

25/1

Course winner over 5½f last winter but not won in a handicap off a mark this high since 2012. Yard do well with their older sprinters and he came on from a disappointing reappearance at Epsom last time with a better effort at Epsom so not ruled out.

Form: 1166-86

(4)

East Street Revue^b²⁰¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 94| CD

14/1

Gained a second C&D success in October but would probably prefer slightly softer ground than what he's going to get here and more needed off his career high handicap mark.

Form: 086410-

(5)

Line Of Reason⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 8-12| J: Oisin Murphy| T: P T Midgley| OR: 92| CD

11/1

Won twice last season but signs the enthusiasm is waning in more recent starts and never going the pace on either of his three most recent runs. Needs to bounce back in what are his optimum conditions at least.

Form: 728-007

(18)

George Dryden¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: P J McDonald| T: C Wallis| OR: 90| C| D

22/1

C&D winner back in 2015 but only won once since when landing a six-runner race at Lingfield earlier in the year. Only 3lb higher but hard to imagine he's well-handicapped in any way and well beaten earlier in the month at Newmarket.

Form: 213650

(9)

Excessable²⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Rachel Richardson⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 89| CD

28/1

Won three of his eight starts in 2017, the latest of which coming over C&D and while he's not particularly consistent, he's the type to carry on improving for this yard. May need this run on his return though.

Form: 100916-

(1)

Dark Shot²⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Jamie Gormley⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 88| D

28/1

Effective on his day but out of form towards the back end of last year and entitled to need the run on stable debut after a significant absence.

Form: 325540-

(14)

Poyle Vinnie^b1⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-6| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 86| D

11/1

Without a win in 17 starts but has been running well in defeat for his new yard of late. Well-handicapped on his best form and may improve in first-time blinkers here.

Form: 820242

(10)

Sheepscar Lad²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: S De Sousa| T: N Tinkler| OR: 86| D

12/1

Arrives here bidding to land a four-timer having returned with a win at Doncaster last month. 5lb rise for the latest effort looks a bit harsh but booking of the Champion Jockey an obvious bonus.

Form: 14311-1

(7)

Royal Brave¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-5| J: J F Egan| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 85| D

16/1

A bit of Musselburgh specialist and won back at that course again last time. 3lb higher in what looks a stronger race and has developed a bad habit of missing the break which is something he can't do here. Will be doing his best work in the finish.

Form: 766-651

(12)

Carlton Frankie²¹⁶

12/1

Lost her maiden tag here over 5½f and subsequently won her next two starts but badly out of form throughout the rest of the campaign including three starts here. Entitled to need the run here on first start since a wind op.

Form: 110800-

(16)

Rosina^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: F Norton| T: Mrs A Duffield| OR: 84| CD

50/1

Won twice on AW this winter but hard to imagine there's much scope for improvement off this handicap mark on return to turf though.

Form: 881-154

Non-Runners

(6)

Orient Class⁴⁸

Weight: 8-7| Age: 7

T: P T Midgley J: Aaron Jones

Forecasts

Edward Lewis (6/1), El Astronaute (15/2), Copper Knight (8/1), Major Jumbo (17/2), Poyle Vinnie (11/1), Line Of Reason (11/1), Carlton Frankie (12/1), Sheepscar Lad (12/1), Holmeswood (14/1), Gracious John (14/1), East Street Revue (14/1), Royal Brave (16/1), Orient Class (20/1), George Dryden (22/1), Pipers Note (25/1), Desert Law (25/1), Dark Shot (28/1), Excessable (28/1), Rosina (50/1)

An opener that could hardly be more competitive in which DESERT LAW is the tentative selection after a more promising run last time out and he's still effective when he gets his conditions. First-time blinkers may see Poyle Vinnie get his head back in front while Gracious John isn't ruled out despite carrying top-weight if he's on a going.