16:55 Catterick

Friday 1 June 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:5517:3018:05

Watch Racing UK Anywhere Handicap

Off time: 16:56 | Winning time: 1m 12.21s

(2)

Highland Acclaim^h²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| D

16/1

Stronger on turf (6 from 48) than on the AW (0 from 16), so no surprise his trainer drew stumps on his winter campaign in mid-December. No show on his reappearance at Ascot (6f), but that was in a very tough race.

Form: 07077-0

(7)

Thammin³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: P Mulrennan| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 87| D

7/1

Talented juvenile (5f-6f winner), but has seemingly had issues, making just three starts since September 2016. Chance on his Kempton effort in October, beaten just a neck by the now 98-rated Orvar (5f).

Form: 411/72-0

(1)

Private Matter¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Barry McHugh| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| D

9/4

French Listed winner as a juvenile (6f soft) but his three-year-old career was underwhelming. Went close on his penultimate start at Doncaster (6f good), beaten two necks by Watchable, but not good enough in a Class 2 handicap at York latest.

Form: 789-030

(3)

Normal Equilibrium²³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: T Eaves| T: I Furtado| OR: 81

33/1

A bit of a short runner who can often fail for stamina, with all seven of his previous successes coming over 5f trips, so rates as vulnerable on his seasonal return even allowing for the easy nature of this track.

Form: 181970-

(4)

Muatadel²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Cam Hardie| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 78| D

15/2

5lb higher than when winning at Beverley in August 2017 (5f good to firm), but does stay further and is entitled to improve for his reappearance run at Thirsk. First experience of Catterick, and from a handy draw.

Form: 37435-9

(9)

B Fifty Two¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 8-9| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs Marjorie Fife| OR: 73| D

12/1

Seven-time winner who has just found his revised mark to be a fraction on the high side since winning at Pontefract in April (5f) and clearly isn't the force of younger years. Any appreciable rainfall will help his cause.

Form: 24-8155

(6)

Foxtrot Knight⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Jane Elliott⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 73| C

3/1

Prominent racer who continues to run very well, being beaten just a neck by Henley at Pontefract last Friday (5f good). Inching ever steadily up the weights and something to prove trip wise (6f) in a stronger contest.

Form: 462132

(8)

Spirit Of Wedza¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-2| J: Jamie Gormley⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 65| CD

5/1

Awarded the race by the stewards after finishing a nose second to Extrasolar over C&D earlier this month (the third placed horse runs at Hamilton on Thursday). Up 2lb in a stronger race but respected despite a wide draw.

Form: 6-55461

Non-Runners

(5)

Lucky Beggar¹⁶

Weight: 9-3| Age: 8

T: D C Griffiths J: Nathan Evans

Forecasts

Private Matter (9/4), Foxtrot Knight (3/1), Spirit Of Wedza (5/1), Lucky Beggar (6/1), Thammin (7/1), Muatadel (15/2), B Fifty Two (12/1), Highland Acclaim (16/1), Normal Equilibrium (33/1)

Not an easy race to solve as it would be immensely foolish to readily dismiss the vast majority of these proven handicappers, many of whom have previous C&D winning (or placed) form so stakes are best kept to a minimum. Therefore, we'll home in on the least exposed runner in the race THAMMIN in the hope that he'll have further improvement in the locker; trainer 1 from 1 (100%) at Catterick. His reappearance run at Doncaster in late April leaves him with a mountain to climb with Lucky Beggar, but he's potentially far better than that effort and is best judged on a solid AW second to the 98-rated Orvar at Kempton in October 2017 (5f).