14:25 York

Saturday 25 August 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:4016:1516:5017:20

Sky Bet Melrose Handicap

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 2m 53.87s

(10)

Proschema²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 100

20/1

Likes to race towards the fore and has perhaps paid for employing such tactics; fourth, beaten just over 3L in a 1m4f Class 2 Goodwood handicap earlier this month; stamina unproven and has done the majority of his racing on soft ground.

Form: 3-11684

(7)

Making Miracles²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 99| D

6/1

Pace-setter who finished third (Corgi second, Proschema fourth) over 1m4f at Glorious Goodwood after earlier wins at Leicester (1m4f) and Haydock (1m6f); no issues with quick ground and beaten a mere short-head on sole previous York run (Class 4).

Form: 221713

(14)

Corgi²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Jim Crowley| T: H Morrison| OR: 96| BF

6/1

Got the better of both Making Miracles (third) and Proschema (fourth) when chasing home Soto Sizzler at Glorious Goodwood (1m4f, good) latest; up 2lb, but rock-solid all season and looks guaranteed to deliver another positive showing.

Form: 2-23122

(12)

Berkshire Blue¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Jason Watson⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 95

15/2

Open to further improvement after just four career starts; sports a 50% strike-rate, with a narrow 1m4f Shergar Cup Class 3 handicap (debut) the highlight so far (beat Blue Laureate); up 5lb (claimer removes 3lb) in a more competitive race.

Form: 4171

(1)

Ghostwatch^p³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 92| BF| D

10/1

2.1M gns yearling; stamina looks to be his forte as demonstrated with a stout performance to down Sharja Silk at Sandown (1m6f good) in June; mildly disappointing since (excuses); every likelihood that he'll be making positive strides at the finish.

Form: 3-13152

(16)

Mekong²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: D Tudhope| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 91| D

11/2

Held the reliable AW stayer Rude Awakening when scoring by a neck at Chelmsford latest (1m6f), and a subsequent 3lb rise isn't overly punitive; open to further improvement at this trip returned to turf; respected.

Form: 64-1721

(13)

Blue Laureate¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: P Hanagan| T: Ian Williams| OR: 89

16/1

Never won beyond 1m (Sept 2017), but this trainer has a proven record with his stayers; just pipped by Berkshire Blue at Ascot recently (1m4f); raised 4lb and tries an extra 2f with stamina reserves needing to be proven.

Form: 500722

(3)

Polish²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: David Probert| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 88

20/1

Never really involved on handicap debut at Glorious Goodwood (1m4f), and looks to be safely held on that effort by Corgi, Making Miracles and Proschema; however, is still lightly raced, with sole win coming in a 1m4f Salisbury maiden (good to firm).

Form: 6128

(4)

Lucky Deal⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 88

20/1

Typical of this trainers stock, he's handled himself well since upped in trip (1m3f Carlisle winner in June), and is running with a degree of consistency, but the suspicion remains that others will prove stronger; handicapper in charge.

Form: 419333

(15)

Shuhood^h⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 87

25/1

Back to the kind of form which saw him take a 1m2f Class 4 handicap at Newmarket in May when justifying favouritism at Doncaster last week (½L winner); claimer utilised to negate rise in a stronger 1m6f contest; stablemate of Blue Laureate.

Form: 601371

(11)

Supernova⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock| OR: 86

6/1

Won both of his starts in 2018, including at 4/6f on handicap debut at Doncaster in July (1m4f, good to firm); raised 5lb for his first attempt at this 1m6f trip, so will need to continue to progress (remains a promising type).

Form: 53-11

(9)

Sergio Leone¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: B A Curtis| T: R Hannon| OR: 84

28/1

Has stood plenty of racing since winning at Newbury in June (1m, Class 5), continuing to progress as upped in trip; second at Glorious Goodwood (1m3f) on penultimate start, but behind Berkshire Blue and others (sixth) at over 1m4f at Ascot latest.

Form: 671226

(8)

Coolongolook²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: George Wood| T: L M Cumani| OR: 82

20/1

Beaten 3¾L by Supernova at Doncaster in July (1m4f, good to firm), but has won since in a three runner race back on Town Moor; likeable attitude, but plenty more to do here over a new trip off 2lb higher.

Form: 32-3031

(6)

Midnight Wilde⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: K T O'Neill| T: J Ryan| OR: 82| D

33/1

Reached a new level when scoring on his first attempt over an extended 1m6f at Chester (good) last month; up 2lb, and into Class 2 company, so potentially might find this race a shade too competitive.

Form: 25-2731

(2)

Candidate²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: A Mullen| T: H Morrison| OR: 82

40/1

Stablemate of Corgi; made a winning seasonal reappearance at Doncaster in April (1m4f, soft) and largely consistent since in much stronger races off his revised mark; staying on 5L fifth to Desert Path at Glorious Goodwood (1m3f+) recently.

Form: 0-15235

(5)

Heart Of Grace^p1³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Liam Jones| T: W J Haggas| OR: 81

8/1

Unbeaten on turf (2-2), but this rates as a very challenging race in which to make a handicap debut; opening mark probably fair (won a shade cosily at Lingfield), but has to prove she stays further; fitted with first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 161

Forecasts

Mekong (11/2), Supernova (6/1), Corgi (6/1), Making Miracles (6/1), Berkshire Blue (15/2), Heart Of Grace (8/1), Ghostwatch (10/1), Blue Laureate (16/1), Proschema (20/1), Polish (20/1), Coolongolook (20/1), Lucky Deal (20/1), Shuhood (25/1), Sergio Leone (28/1), Midnight Wilde (33/1), Candidate (40/1)

The most difficult looking race on Saturday's York card, with a plethora of interwoven handicap form-lines and the constant worry of an unexposed sort lurking, with both Supernova and Heart Of Grace most feared on that particular score. Corgi has raced consistently all summer and deserves to be on the premises, but wherever he finishes both Making Miracles and Proschema shouldn't be far away. However, with that latter named pair likely to make this an end to end gallop, the stout stayer GHOSTWATCH is fancied to pounce late for Will Buick (admittedly needs to negotiate a safe passage past weakening horses), with another to consider being Mekong.