Kevin Hall & Pat Boakes Memorial Handicap

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 3m 17.76s

Winds Of Fire^p1²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 85

4/5

Looks a thorough stayer based on his Newcastle win in January, and stayed on well despite taking a hold in blinkers when runner-up at Haydock (1¾m) last time. Third and fourth have won since, and fairly treated with cheekpieces now deployed.

Form: 73-12

Praeceps^v⁸^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 68| CD

11/8

Won a 0-75 handicap over C&D in July, and found further improvement when bolting up in a first-time visor at Chepstow last time. Fairly treated under a penalty here, although this looks a warm contest for the class.

Form: 773121

Rocky Shores^v¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: F Norton| T: M R Channon| OR: 73

7/1

Ran respectably when making the frame in handicaps over shorter at Brighton and Nottingham in May, and back to form in a first-time visor when 5¼L fifth of 6 to Artarmon over this trip at Sandown last time. No easy task here, however.

Form: 6-32455

Non-Runners

Supernova³⁵

Weight: 9-8| Age: 3

T: D M Simcock J: R L Moore

Forecasts

Winds Of Fire (4/5), Praeceps (11/8), Supernova (11/8), Rocky Shores (7/1)

A remarkably hot contest despite the small field. SUPERNOVA is on a hat-trick after a pair of wins over shorter, and he promises to be suited by this stiffer test, so gets the vote over Winds of Fire, who is no easy ride, but possesses plenty of talent. Praeceps has a harder task than when winning easily at Chepstow last time, but is improving rapidly, and can't be discounted.