20:55 Haydock

Thursday 14 June 2018

All18:2018:5519:2519:5520:2520:55

Silk Mill Ripponden Supporting Whitaker Racing Handicap

Off time: 20:55 | Winning time: 2m 9.29s

(8)

Branscombe²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 75

25/1

Rather inconsistent performer whose best performance this year came on the AW over 6f in first-time blinkers (also dropped in weights). Did too much too soon in a first-time visor last time (looked hard ride) and now steps up 4f in trip.

Form: 571928

(4)

Garden Oasis³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: D Tudhope| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 74

7/4

Lightly-raced sort who caught the eye on his return when running on from a poor position and handled with care on the AW over 1m1f. Now makes his handicap debut with the second from his last race having won off 76; looks fairly treated off this mark.

Form: 64-4

(10)

French Flyer⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: P Mulrennan| T: M Dods| OR: 73

25/1

The first (made a winning debut) and the last runs of his juvenile season saw him at his best over trips at up to 1m. Given a very considerate ride on his return to action at Doncaster (1m2f, soft) and could step up on that run here.

Form: 1342-0

(1)

Institution¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: P Hanagan| T: C Hills| OR: 72

11/2

Didn't exactly make a step forward on his two-year-old form when reappearing over 1m2f on the AW but the run was hard to knock; finished a good second to the favourite. Now makes his handicap debut without looking thrown in off his opening mark.

Form: 97-2

(7)

Glorious Player^p1²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 72

16/1

Cheekpieces go on for the first-time in a bid to provide some spark after just a modest first run in a handicap over this trip at Ripon. Might just have needed that though and this jockey/trainer combination are always respected at this venue.

Form: 5-435

(6)

Enzo²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: L P Keniry| T: E Walker| OR: 71

8/1

A dual Brighton winner as a two-year-old over 1m both times he's been slow to come to hand this year and hasn't (as yet) found any improvement in handicaps. Not seen to best effect last time though and now runs off a career-low mark.

Form: 616-708

(3)

Ad Libitum⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 67

9/2

Gradually going the right way for this yard and has shown promise in his last two runs despite looking a little awkward in his previous outings. Looked a touch unlucky last time (short of room at a vital stage) and now off a mark (67) that looks work

Form: 668652

(9)

Calling Rio^v1¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: T Eaves| T: D Loughnane| OR: 67

66/1

Yet to win a race despite a fair few placed efforts as a two-year-old but there has been no progress this year in two runs and she's now dropped to a new low mark. Visor now employed to extract some progress but not one that makes any appeal.

Form: 3440-00

(2)

If We Can Can^b1¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 63| BF| D

8/1

May well have had the run of the race when showing improved form to record his first win at Redcar (1m2f, good/firm) in May (enjoyed the increased trip). Race looked to come too soon when attempting to follow-up; could bounce back with blinkers on.

Form: 035-818

(5)

Broken Force¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: B A Curtis| T: K R Burke| OR: 62

16/1

Hard to crab some of his recent effort which have been creditable but he's not really showing any progress and looks rather exposed. The handicapper is showing him some mercy but he still to have plenty to do here.

Form: 07-6895

Forecasts

Garden Oasis (7/4), Ad Libitum (9/2), Institution (11/2), Enzo (8/1), If We Can Can (8/1), Broken Force (16/1), Glorious Player (16/1), Branscombe (25/1), French Flyer (25/1), Calling Rio (66/1)

A race that sees a mixture of three-year-olds with GARDEN OASIS likely to be the one that has the most progress left in him after his run at Wolverhampton last time left him on a workable mark for his handicap debut with that form already being franked. Ad Libitum has taken time to find some progression but he’s in good hands and a repeat of his last run will see him go close here. Glorious Player for the Kingscote/Dascombe combination that do so well in handicaps here must be respected and could step forward as could French Flyer who has the air of an improver about him. If We Can Can looks the better of the Johnston pair if he can bounce back from a poor run last time.