17:05 Doncaster

Saturday 18 August 2018

All13:1513:4514:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:05

Follow Top Tipsters At Sun Racing Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 2m 10.30s

(1)

Save The Bees^b¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: G C O'Neill| T: D Carroll| OR: 77| D

8/1

The bulk of his 14 wins have come during the months of July and August and he was a ready winner on his penultimate start at Haydock (1m2f); less pleasing latest and difficult to predict overall.

Form: 068617

(8)

Andok^p¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Sebastian Woods⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 76| C| D

3/1

Back to form when a narrow winner (nose) at Redcar earlier this month; raised 2lb but riders claim negates the rise; had solid juvenile form at this track in 2016 (7f), but good to firm ground isn't ideal.

Form: 882581

(4)

Ski Blast¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Gabriele Malune| T: I Furtado| OR: 72| CD

5/1

Highly likely that his recent Nottingham run will bring him forward for a crack at this race which he won last year; 6lb higher now but despite his age he should have more to offer over 1m2f.

Form: 57621-5

(7)

X Rated⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Oliver Stammers⁽⁵⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 69| D

4/1

Back from a modest run at Chester with a determined ½L win at Haydock last week (1m2f, good to firm); entitled to be firmly in the mix, especially with a useful 5lb claimer aboard.

Form: 853391

(5)

Aljunood²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Josh Quinn⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 68

25/1

No joy yet for this trainer, but has dropped 12lb in the weights in his last three starts; sole success came over 1m in a soft ground Killarney maiden (2/5f) in August 2017; left Dermot Weld for £11,000.

Form: 210-796

(2)

Berlusca⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-5| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽³⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 65| D

4/1

Regular winner over the years (11-100) and has performed consistently during the course of the summer over 1m2f on quick ground (mainly at Haydock); not much to find with X Rated on the formbook.

Form: 133444

(6)

Ascot Week^v⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Ben Sanderson| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 63

8/1

Halted a decline when scoring over 1m at Newcastle last month (form franked), and followed up in the first-time visor at Musselburgh last week; steps back up in trip seeking a hat-trick.

Form: 708911

(9)

Sumner Beach^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Kieran Schofield⁽⁵⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 62

12/1

His trainer is still struggling to unlock his potential and wind surgery has yet to prove beneficial; dropped a further 4lb on his first attempt at 1m2f.

Form: 4856-35

Non-Runners

(3)

Channel Packet²⁵

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: M Appleby J: Keelan Baker

Forecasts

Andok (3/1), X Rated (4/1), Berlusca (4/1), Ski Blast (5/1), Channel Packet (6/1), Save The Bees (8/1), Ascot Week (8/1), Sumner Beach (12/1), Aljunood (25/1)

A number of these horses arrive in excellent shape with their respective trainers no doubt more than happy to utilise the claims of these apprentices riders in order to negate penalties and weight rises etc. Ascot Week is on a hat-trick, but vulnerable stepped back up in trip, whilst Channel Packet could progress now finally finding a winning groove. Both X Rated and the unlucky in running Berlusca are closely matched, but the pick is 2017 winner SKI BLAST who should be ready to do himself justice after blowing away the cobwebs over an inadequate trip at Nottingham.