16:45 Newmarket

Friday 13 July 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Gordon's Handicap

Off time: 16:46 | Winning time: 2m 59.88s

(5)

Hochfeld²⁷³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: James Doyle| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 103| CD

6/1

C&D winner here last year and signed off the campaign with respectable effort here on the Rowley Course. Entitled to need this run on return though and this looks no easy task off a career high mark.

Form: 261935-

(4)

Natural Scenery^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Harry Bentley| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 100| C

14/1

Not won on turf since winning her maiden here on her second start in 2016. Largely struggled out in Meydan at the start of the year and disappointed in the Northumberland Plate last time, a race she's run well in before. She's opposable at present.

Form: 8-35490

(2)

Elgin⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: M Harley| T: A King| OR: 98

5/2

Smart over hurdles and has made an encouraging start to his Flat career, bidding for a hat-trick here after wins at Chelmsford and Catterick. Has his first handicap start and the assessor has given him a real chance from his opening mark.

Form: 311

(3)

Hamada⁵⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 96

11/4

Returned from a lengthy absence to win at Wolverhampton in impressive fashion and followed up at York last time. Still lightly raced, has won three of his five starts and may improve for the step up in trip.

Form: 321/11

(6)

Shraaoh^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: J P Spencer| T: H Fry| OR: 95| D

7/2

Gained a first win since his maiden success at Goodwood last time on just his second start for his new yard. 4lb higher in a tougher race makes life more difficult though and others preferred.

Form: 4300-41

(8)

Fire Jet¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: P J McDonald| T: J Mackie| OR: 90| CD

14/1

C&D winner last year and not beaten far on the Rowley Course here three starts back. Hasn't been able to back that up since and needs a strong pace to be seen at his best. Others likely to be better handicapped.

Form: 18-5247

(1)

Project Bluebook⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: S De Sousa| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 81| BF| D

12/1

Ran well in two Flat races last year. Didn't enjoy a productive time over hurdles this winter but on a workable mark back in this sphere and the booking of De Sousa is a big plus. Interesting runner.

Form: 2410/22-

Non-Runners

(7)

Saunter²¹

Weight: 9-5| Age: 5

T: Ian Williams J: Jim Crowley

Forecasts

Elgin (5/2), Hamada (11/4), Shraaoh (7/2), Hochfeld (6/1), Saunter (7/1), Project Bluebook (12/1), Fire Jet (14/1), Natural Scenery (14/1)

There's a couple of National Hunt horses who would appear to have been let in lightly by the handicapper here. Most notably, ELGIN could prove very well-handicapped off this mark and he arrives bidding for a hat-trick. He's taken to get the better of Project Bluebook who himself has run some fair races on the Flat. Hamada shouldn't be ruled out and he won in better fashion than the winning margin suggested at York last time.