17:20 Haydock

Friday 20 July 2018

All14:1014:4015:1515:4516:2016:5017:20

Smarkets Haydock Park Training Series Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:20 | Winning time: 1m 44.33s

(9)

Acrux^h¹¹^{(ex 6)}

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: C J McGovern| T: D O'Meara| OR: 70| D

3/1

Been in great form this spring/summer and made it four wins with another quite comfortable one at Thirsk last time, nicely on top late. That showed he stays a mile too, so may easily find more improvement, and every chance under a penalty here.

Form: 110151

(6)

Golden Guest¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Joshua Bryan| T: J L Eyre| OR: 73| BF| D

9/2

Easy winner at Doncaster two starts back but a bit disappointing he couldn't do better when made favourite here last time out. Step back up to a mile may help, but may not be one to trust implicitly. Others preferred.

Form: 19-7816

(3)

Lagenda¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Faye McManoman⁽³⁾| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 72

11/4

Nothing wrong with this handicap mark but bottom line is that he's just 1-28 on turf and it was a fairly low-key start for his new yard when down the field at Musselburgh last time. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 32-5466

(4)

Aljunood¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Josh Quinn| T: J R Norton| OR: 70| D

25/1

Winner in Ireland for Dermot Weld (soft ground) but has done little in two starts for his current yard to suggest he's about to strike. Needs an awful lot of improvement from somewhere.

Form: 3210-79

(7)

Buckland Beau⁷³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Aled Beech| T: C Fellowes| OR: 66

10/1

Four times a winner on the sand but yet to win on turf in 18 starts and again threw in a poor effort at Thirsk last time out, last of eight. Hard to make a solid case for and others readily preferred.

Form: 520638

(1)

Mamdood^b1,t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Theodore Ladd| T: S Corbett| OR: 66

20/1

Winner for Richard Hannon back in 2016 but going nowhere fast at present and despite falling handicap mark and addition of blinkers today, hard to see him making much of an impression on the main protagonists.

Form: 44060-7

(5)

Rock Warbler^h,t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Jason Watson| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 62| D

4/1

Not running terribly at present and clearly a mile on quick ground suits him well, seems happiest on Tapeta but even so, a reproduction of his fourth at Leicester last time gives him place chances here at worst.

Form: 798634

(2)

Wedding Breakfast³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Poppy Bridgwater| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 59

40/1

Last of ten on debut for this yard at Hamilton last month and 66-1 price tag suggests little was expected. Can't be realistically entertained as the winner.

Form: 25290-0

(8)

King Oswald^h¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Megan Ellingworth⁽⁵⁾| T: J W Unett| OR: 55| D

12/1

Mark has fallen to one that he looks like he could operate off, and his close fourth in a weak race at Yarmouth last time wasn't a disaster. Hood on there is retained, so may reproduce the effort, and not entirely ruled out if he does.

Form: 265704

Forecasts

Lagenda (11/4), Acrux (3/1), Rock Warbler (4/1), Golden Guest (9/2), Buckland Beau (10/1), King Oswald (12/1), Mamdood (20/1), Aljunood (25/1), Wedding Breakfast (40/1)

Probably not too many to consider in the closing event on the card, and ACRUX is in such good form that he seems an automatic choice despite having plenty of weight to carry here. King Oswald and Rock Warbler are both at the right end of the handicap and can be given chances, as can Golden Guest if he's on a going day.