18:20 Nottingham

Tuesday 7 August 2018

All17:2017:5018:2018:5519:2520:0020:30

Smarkets Handicap

Off time: 18:20 | Winning time: 1m 46.39s

(1)

Blaze Of Hearts^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Jack Duern⁽³⁾| T: D K Ivory| OR: 75| D

8/1

Dual Yarmouth winner (1m/1m1f) last season, the latter from just 1lb lower. Began this season with two good efforts at Windsor, but last of seven when dropped in grade and in cheekpieces latest. 2lb drop. Not written off but needs to bounce back.

Form: 790-437

(6)

Golden Guest¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: R L Moore| T: J L Eyre| OR: 73| D

6/1

All four wins have been over 7f/1m, the latest coming at Doncaster in June, from 6lb lower. Not far off that level from today's mark at Haydock last time. More needed for the win, but faster ground here will help. Enters calculations.

Form: 9-78164

(4)

Al Reeh^h³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: L Morris| T: M Botti| OR: 73| BF

6/1

Sole win was in a Kempton maiden (6f, AW) in 2016. Has run reasonably well in handicaps, mainly at that venue, but not yet been able to win one. Beginning to look well treated and, if he reproduce his form on turf, he has claims.

Form: 1/47-067

(5)

Ski Blast³⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: Gabriele Malune⁽⁵⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 72

10/1

Won a handicap for the first time at Doncaster (1m2f, good) when last seen almost a year ago. Up 6lb for that. Has never won after such a lengthy break, so more needed on this reappearance.

Form: 3/57621-

(3)

Eponina¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: S De Sousa| T: M Appleby| OR: 66| CD

11/10

Has hit form of late, winning two of her last three, including over C&D last time, when 2lb lower and with 7lb claimed. Champion jockey gets the leg-up here and she is entitled to strong consideration with the possibility that there is more to come.

Form: 220171

(8)

Buckland Beau¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C Fellowes| OR: 66

8/1

0-19 on turf, with all four wins being on the All Weather and none for well over two years. Beaten just 2L over this trip at Haydock (good to soft) last time, so more needed from the same mark.

Form: 206383

(2)

La Sioux^v²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 60| D

33/1

Still relatively early days and she won her first handicap at Redcar (1m, good to firm) from a mark of 60 in May. Unable to get competitive since then, which is a concern, but now back on that winning mark, she can't be ruled out.

Form: 451048

Non-Runners

(7)

Muirsheen Durkin¹⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 4

T: S Spencer J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Eponina (11/10), Al Reeh (6/1), Golden Guest (6/1), Blaze Of Hearts (8/1), Buckland Beau (8/1), Ski Blast (10/1), Muirsheen Durkin (14/1), La Sioux (33/1)

The return to faster ground should help Golden Guest get very competitive again, while Al Reeh would be interesting if able to reproduce his best AW efforts on turf. Ski Blast clearly can't be written off, but it is of some concern that he has not been seen for almost a year and resumes from 6lb higher, while La Sioux is back on a winning mark and has a squeak. However, EPONINA is not fully exposed and, although she will need some improvement, she should go very close.