17:15 Ripon

Saturday 21 July 2018

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

Inn At South Stainley Handicap

Off time: 17:16 | Winning time: 2m 34.44s

(7)

Armandihan^p¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 79

11/2

Cost the princely sum of 320,000gns as a juvenile, but has only a 7f Catterick maiden win against his name after 14 starts; that said, running consistently well lately including when a 2+L runner-up to Aasheq in the Cumberland Plate (1m3f) in June.

Form: 4-05822

(4)

Eskendash²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Callum Shepherd| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 76

9/2

124-rated hurdler, whose sole Flat success so far came on the AW at Kempton in March 2017 (1m3f); turf mark essentially fair and should appreciate this 1m4f trip.

Form: 26356-6

(3)

Be Perfect^b⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 75| D

11/1

Likes to race close to the pace and is running consistently well (on quick ground); stays anywhere upwards of 1m4f, but might find this a fraction too competitive with his last win coming in a claimer at Catterick last month.

Form: 081233

(5)

Mr Sundowner^t⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁷⁾| T: W Storey| OR: 72| D

33/1

Lost his way since a productive spell between July to September 2017, and whilst some rain could prove beneficial, he has a mountain to climb with Mutadaffeq on C&D evidence from Monday (finished 14½L last of five).

Form: 163-775

(6)

Ad Libitum¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 79| CD

6/4

Finished just a head behind Armandihan when third in the 1m3f Cumberland Plate at Carlisle in June, and won over C&D next time (good to firm) beating Eyecatcher by a neck-pair clear; 2lb higher (career high mark).

Form: 522131

(8)

Multellie⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 64| CD

9/2

No win since August 2016, but this is generally this prominent racers time of year; has C&D winning form (overall Ripon record reads; 2,5,1,3), and no disgrace in finding Theglasgowwarrior much too strong at Hamilton (1m4f, good to firm) last week.

Form: 654632

(2)

Snax¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Jason Hart| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 73| CD

8/1

Pocketed a weak race on handicap debut over C&D last month (under Jason Hart) in which better fancied stablemate The Lincoln Lawyer ran abysmally, but finished last of six off a 3lb higher mark at Doncaster latest, so in truth needs much more.

Form: 66-516

Non-Runners

(1)

Mutadaffeq⁵

Weight: 10-8| Age: 5

T: D O'Meara J: D Nolan

Forecasts

Ad Libitum (6/4), Mutadaffeq (3/1), Eskendash (9/2), Multellie (9/2), Armandihan (11/2), Snax (8/1), Be Perfect (11/1), Mr Sundowner (33/1)

Another tough race to assess with some uncertainty regarding conditions. Mutadaffeq carries a 6lb penalty for Monday's win, but is essentially better than this grade of race now, so the welter burden of 10st 8lbs isn't overly concerning, whilst there's little to choose between Cumberland Plate foes Armandihan and Ad Libitum. However, a chance is taken that front-runner MULTELLIE can poach a soft lead for the in-form Tim Easterby, and this ground versatile infrequent winner can finally capitalise on a reduced mark over a C&D that he's won over previously in August 2015.