16:40 Ripon

Saturday 21 July 2018

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

VW Van Centre (West Yorkshire) Handicap

Off time: 16:42 | Winning time: 1m 40.28s

(8)

Mutarakez¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 84| D

16/1

Started the season well on turf (with cut), so should be suited by ground described as good or softer; however, has shown a few of his old quirks lately and needs to regain his momentum, but no doubting that he has the ability.

Form: 021396

(1)

Two For Two^p²²

Age: 10| Weight: 9-13| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 83| CD

9/1

Veteran who hasn't won for over a year (6 from 58 on turf), but ran a solid race in finishing fourth over C&D on his penultimate start, beaten just 1L (odds of 25/1) by Gurkha Friend; no complete back number on that evidence.

Form: 870-540

(6)

Storm Ahead³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 80| BF| D

11/4

Worked his way back to form in June and is closely matched with Two For Two on C&D form; subsequently beaten 2½L by Flying North (third) at Doncaster (1m, good to firm).

Form: 7-07933

(2)

Weellan⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 81| CD

2/1

Stablemate of Acrux; won just once in 15 starts, by a neck off a 9lb lower mark over C&D in May, but has coped with the rise in grade since that success and continues in solid form.

Form: 421243

(3)

Shouranour^b¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: C J McGovern⁽⁵⁾| T: A D Brown| OR: 69| CD

7/2

Well below his best until showing improvement, weakening to finish a 1½L runner-up to Acrux over C&D earlier this month; renews rivalry on 4lb better terms, and won this off a 14lb higher mark in 2017 (on soft).

Form: 8-08002

(5)

How Bizarre⁸⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Shane Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 72| BF| D

7/1

Stepped forward when introduced to handicapping on the AW (1m Southwell winner in April), and has maintained that progress back on turf at Beverley (7.5f, good); off the track for 86 days since, but one to be wary of off a lightweight.

Form: 444-213

Non-Runners

(7)

Acrux¹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 5

T: D O'Meara J: S H James

(4)

Zain City²¹

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: M R Channon J: Callum Shepherd

Forecasts

Weellan (2/1), Storm Ahead (11/4), Shouranour (7/2), Acrux (11/2), How Bizarre (7/1), Zain City (7/1), Two For Two (9/1), Mutarakez (16/1)

Not a race for voicing a strong opinion, but once more plenty of these horses have proven course form. Shouranour won this off 14lb higher in 2017, and finally got back on the right track when chasing home the once reluctant to win but now wholly revitalised Acrux over C&D recently, and that pair meet on 4lb revised terms today. Mutarakez will be suited by rain and has the ability to win this is electing to apply himself, whilst Storm Ahead represents the in-form Tim Easterby. However, the tentative selection is HOW BIZAARE who is unexposed on turf, and returns from a break off a lightweight.