16:05 Ripon

Saturday 21 July 2018

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1517:50

Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 2m 33.44s

(4)

Sofia's Rock¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: P J McDonald| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 100| D

15/2

Stole the race under a positive ride when winning at Haydock in June (1m3f+), but has found this elevated mark (10lb higher) just beyond his capabilities since.

Form: 505128

(7)

Mount Tahan¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-13| J: Shane Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 99| D

33/1

Rated 6lb lower on turf than on the AW (3 from 7), so should theoretically be competitive, especially as we know that good ground is his favoured conditions on grass; second start back from wind surgery.

Form: 1-12100

(6)

Grandee²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 98| D

25/1

Bought from Mrs John Harrington for 22,000gns in November, and kicked off his English career by finishing second over C&D in April (good to soft); less promise in strong races since (including the Chester Cup).

Form: 67-2006

(14)

Carbon Dating¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: T P Queally| T: R J Osborne| OR: 98| D

25/1

Back from a spell in the UAE, but unconvincing so far, admittedly with excuses which included being outclassed in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot and finding the trip too short at Hamilton latest.

Form: 496606

(2)

Aasheq⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 95| BF

2/1

Improved since arriving from Ireland, with form figures for this trainer of 3,1,1,1,2; risen 22lb in the weights since April, including a further 4lb for finishing 1½L second of seven to Rainbow Rebel at Chester (1m3f, good) recently.

Form: 9-31112

(5)

Reshoun⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: T Hamilton| T: Ian Williams| OR: 92| D

7/1

Stays well and was a decisive winner at Doncaster in October 2017 (1m4f, good to soft); not quite able to cope with the subsequent 8lb rise and yet to hit his stride in 2018, but dropped 2lb and is fairly lightly raced overall.

Form: 7231-60

(9)

Final⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Hart| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 90| D

10/1

Reliable sort, admittedly without winning since March 2017 but has competed to the best of his abilities so far this season, including when beaten just over 2L by Drill at Newmarket last week (1m4f, good to firm).

Form: 78-2532

(3)

Mixboy⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: Josh Quinn⁽⁷⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 90| CD

14/1

Winning hurdler who is also 2 from 5 on the Flat (turf); ran an excellent race in the Chester Plate in May (2m2.5f), weakening late on and value for more than his finishing position of eighth; surprisingly raced over fences since.

Form: 516-298

(12)

Mukhayyam^p⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Connor Beasley| T: T D Easterby| OR: 89| CD

11/1

The ground was described as soft when he took this race off a similar mark in 2017 (won by 3½L), but he's equally adept on quicker ground as demonstrated by slipping the field to win at York in June (penultimate start).

Form: 062514

(11)

Archi's Affaire³¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: A Mullen| T: M Dods| OR: 89

33/1

Unexposed (3 from 9; 33%); yet to win over further than 1m3f, but there's plenty of stamina in his pedigree so the trip shouldn't prove problematic; big effort required off joint-career high mark on first start since September 2017.

Form: 112140-

(10)

Atkinson Grimshaw⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 86| D

7/1

Left Andrew Balding for 35,000gns in November 2017 as a two-time winner in seven starts; respectable showings on all three starts for Iain Jardine (1m2f-1m4f), but will find it tough to make all in this contest.

Form: 323-202

(8)

Appointed^t¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Rachel Richardson| T: T D Easterby| OR: 84| C

9/1

Course winner as a juvenile (6f), and now sits 4lb below her last winning mark (July 2017); races mainly over 1m2f, so despite representing an in-form trainer/jockey combination wouldn't make much appeal with stamina reservations.

Form: 634325

(13)

Benadalid²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: J P Sullivan| T: C W Fairhurst| OR: 80| D

16/1

Likable three-year-old who made an impression over shorter trips on the AW at Newcastle last summer and has gradually upped his game with each step up in trip; 3lb higher than when winning by ¾L on first attempt at 1m4f at Chester latest.

Form: 66-3321

Non-Runners

(1)

Baydar⁷⁷

Weight: 9-4| Age: 5

T: Ian Williams J: Callum Shepherd

Forecasts

Aasheq (2/1), Reshoun (7/1), Atkinson Grimshaw (7/1), Sofia's Rock (15/2), Appointed (9/1), Final (10/1), Mukhayyam (11/1), Mixboy (14/1), Benadalid (16/1), Carbon Dating (25/1), Grandee (25/1), Baydar (25/1), Archi's Affaire (33/1), Mount Tahan (33/1)

A historic race which is always eagerly anticipated by the North Yorkshire racing fraternity, and the 2018 renewal has attracted a strong numerical turnout which includes 2017 winner Mukhayyam. The likes of the lightly weighted Benadalid and the thriving Aasheq rate as leading contenders, but there's also some potential each-way angles. Mount Tahan is strongest on the AW, but rated 6lb lower on turf, he might've feasibly needed his first run back from wind surgery, whilst RESHOUN is a lightly raced stayer who looks just the type to thrive for Ian Williams. He's not quite found his stride so far in 2018, but any further easing of the ground will suit.