17:10 Catterick

Tuesday 11 September 2018

All14:0014:3015:0015:3516:0516:4017:1017:45

Racing UK Extra On racinguk.com Handicap

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 59.46s

(8)

Captain Lars^b⁸^{(ex 6)}

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Edward Greatrex| T: A Watson| OR: 66| D

85/40

AW regular (14-51); gained his first win on turf in the UK at Ffos Las (5f, good) last week when making all to justify favouritism (6/5f); every chance of following up carrying a 6lb penalty.

Form: 153261

(9)

Seamster^t¹⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 9-8| J: Laura Coughlan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 66| CD

12/1

Veteran who now sits on a very handy mark (66); just held by a head by David's Beauty at Chepstow (5f, good) latest, so is noteworthy as a dual C&D scorer.

Form: 437452

(12)

One Boy^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: G Lee| T: P T Midgley| OR: 65| D

14/1

Compact 7yo, who hasn't always delivered exactly what he promises, but is a formidable opponent when on song, and he is that at present; 7lb higher than when bolting up (made all) at Beverley last month; wide draw not ideal.

Form: 957021

(10)

Lexington Place¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 65| CD

8/1

12-70 career (past C&D winner); exactly the type of horse to travel well into the race off a strong pace, but not always relied upon to go through with his effort; more effective of late (twice second off this mark over 5f).

Form: 135228

(1)

Highly Focussed⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: J Fanning| T: Mrs A Duffield| OR: 62| D

11/2

2lb above his last winning mark (5f Beverley, good to firm), but in truth hasn't been over-raced on turf (1-5); dwelt and met trouble in running when down the field on the AW at Newcastle last week.

Form: 425150

(3)

Pearl Acclaim^p⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 62| CD

11/1

Finished mid-pack over 5f at Musselburgh on Friday evening, but was a C&D winner (off 3lb lower) here last month, so couldn't be totally dismissed from a handy inside draw.

Form: 899196

(2)

Perfect Words^p³⁶

25/1

Four-time C&D winner, including off a mark as high as 65 in August 2017; will need to negotiate a path between beaten runners from his low draw (comes from behind); had wind surgery since his last start in early August.

Form: 046160

(7)

Crosse Fire^v¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 56| D

5/1

Best on the AW (8-54), but has some fair 5f-6f form at this track; beaten ½L by Extrasolar (6f) here in August, and had excuses when a beaten favourite behind Pearl Acclaim over C&D next time; place possibilities.

Form: 360265

(11)

Compton River¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: D Allan| T: B Smart| OR: 53| CD

16/1

C&D winner in August 2016, but arrives on a 20-race losing streak; third (beaten approx 1½L) off a 2lb higher mark over C&D in August; wide draw unhelpful.

Form: 452309

(14)

Culloden^v⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Cam Hardie| T: S A Harris| OR: 52| D

50/1

Well handicapped off 9lb below his last winning mark, but hasn't won a battle for over 12 months now (5f, soft); drawn out in the car park in stall 14; other days await.

Form: 346076

(13)

Redeeming¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-2| J: Rachel Richardson| T: E J Alston| OR: 45

25/1

Nine-race maiden; weakened and finished an eased last of 11 over 5f at Hamilton (good to soft) latest, and whilst evidently a pacy sort will surely struggle to get across from this wide draw; third to today's rival Perfect Words at Ayr in June.

Form: 035280

(5)

Celerity^p⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-2| J: Elisha Whittington⁽⁷⁾| T: L Williamson| OR: 45

40/1

Twice placed over this 5f trip early last month (Ffos Las and Haydock), but is now a 50-race maiden, so that's enough said.

Form: 542358

(4)

Very First Blade^p⁴⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 8-2| J: Robert Dodsworth⁽⁷⁾| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 45| CD

50/1

Sharpest on Fibresand; has seen very little racing in 2018 - 100/1 and predictably beaten miles on his sole turf start this year at Doncaster (6f) in July; impossible to consider.

Form: 8039-00

(6)

On The High Tops^p,t¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 8-2| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: C J Teague| OR: 45| CD

100/1

Shown very poor form in the vast majority of his ten starts in 2018, and at the age of ten this past C&D winner looks to possess nothing like the ability of yesteryear; no chance.

Form: 889800

Forecasts

Captain Lars (85/40), Crosse Fire (5/1), Highly Focussed (11/2), Lexington Place (8/1), Pearl Acclaim (11/1), Seamster (12/1), One Boy (14/1), Compton River (16/1), Perfect Words (25/1), Redeeming (25/1), Celerity (40/1), Culloden (50/1), Very First Blade (50/1), On The High Tops (100/1)

The bulk of those towards the foot of the weights hold little chance, so whilst this is a numerically strong race, this list of possible winners is extremely short. Archie Watson has worked the oracle in keeping Captain Lars sweet after a hectic AW Championships campaign in which he sought to become the winning most horse of the winter by picking up sellers and claimers at will. He is massively respected against these rivals, but despite a tough draw in stall 12, the Paul Midgley-trained Beverley winner ONE BOY is preferred. This compact and stocky sprinter tends to come good in the autumn months, and he treated his rivals with disdain in a demolition job off 7lb lower latest.