14:45 Newmarket

Saturday 22 September 2018

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:3517:40

cjmurfitt.com Handicap

Off time: 14:47 | Winning time: 1m 26.20s

(8)

Perfect Hustler¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: K T O'Neill| T: J Noseda| OR: 86| D

6/1

4lb higher than when winning by a neck over this trip at Ascot in July (good to firm); fairly mixed fortunes since, but likely to appreciate this drop back into a Class 4 handicap.

Form: 1-22135

(6)

Firmdecisions⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: N Tinkler| OR: 81| CD

8/1

7f specialist who has won 9 of his 65 career starts, including twice on a fast surface at Leicester in 2018; 3lb above his last winning mark, and never involved (seventh) behind all the way winner Tadaawol at Redcar latest.

Form: 746107

(9)

Ambient³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Ray Dawson⁽⁷⁾| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 82

4/1

13-race maiden; returning from a four-month break when finishing fifth of seven at Yarmouth (1m) on Wednesday; drop back in trip helpful; runner-up in a C&D maiden in April (good to soft).

Form: 642755

(10)

Fox Trotter³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: R Havlin| T: B J Meehan| OR: 78| D

12/1

Fast-finishing second at Chepstow (7f, soft) in June, and racing from a 2lb lower mark today; the more rain the merrier (would enhance his chances massively), but just 2-34 overall and that's off-putting.

Form: 074258

(7)

Game Player¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: K Shoemark| T: R Varian| OR: 80| D

6/1

Fairly solid and mainly progressive throughout his brief racing career; off the mark on the AW at Lingfield (7f novice) earlier this month, and should fare better today than on handicap bow at Newbury (1m) immediately prior.

Form: 74-271

(1)

Blazed¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: T P Queally| T: E F Vaughan| OR: 77

8/1

No win since November 2017 (5f, AW), but has raced fairly consistently in the main in 6f Class 4 handicaps throughout 2018; staying on third at Ascot latest, so certainly worth trying over 7f.

Form: 382463

(2)

Florencio¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Rossa Ryan⁽³⁾| T: J A Osborne| OR: 75| D

3/1

Winner on the beach at Laytown (7f) on his first start for Jamie Osborne; well handicapped on that occasion (able to run off his turf handicap mark on sand -14lb lower); 1-16 on turf.

Form: 121251

(5)

Compas Scoobie⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Milly Naseb⁽⁵⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 72

25/1

Beaten just over ½L (third) over 5f on the July Course last month, but less pleasing since and has dropped a further 3lb in the weights; hasn't raced over 7f since July 2016; stablemate of Glenn Coco.

Form: 843304

(3)

Glenn Coco^t³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: R Ffrench| T: S C Williams| OR: 68| D

14/1

50% AW strike-rate (2-4), but remains a maiden on turf (0-9), that said; is running well lately - held by just a neck at Yarmouth (7f) on his penultimate start; respected in a slightly stronger contest; stablemate of Compas Scoobie.

Form: 895823

Non-Runners

(4)

Colonel Frank²

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: M Quinn J: J F Egan

Forecasts

Florencio (3/1), Ambient (4/1), Game Player (6/1), Perfect Hustler (6/1), Blazed (8/1), Firmdecisions (8/1), Colonel Frank (8/1), Fox Trotter (12/1), Glenn Coco (14/1), Compas Scoobie (25/1)

A tight affair where Fox Trotter would become of more interest should the ground change significantly. Glenn Coco has threatened to win a race on turf, and is almost certainly capable of doing so, whilst Lingfield AW winner Game Player is open to improvement in handicaps (lacks experience). However, the selection is PERFECT HUSTLER. He was a winner at Ascot in July and despite suffering mixed fortunes since, there have been mitigating circumstances; namely he was restless in the stalls (Kempton), and raced in a more competitive Class 3 handicap latest (Leicester).