15:55 Newmarket

Saturday 22 September 2018

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

Pantile Stud Cesarewitch Trial Handicap

Off time: 16:01 | Winning time: 3m 54.93s

(7)

Fun Mac²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: R Havlin| T: H Morrison| OR: 100

5/1

Placed in each of the last two renewals of the Chester Cup (2m2f), but finished down the field in the 2017 Cesarewitch (28th of 34); similar tale in the Ebor (15th of 20) most latterly.

Form: 9-28430

(8)

Stars Over The Sea^h²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: P Cosgrave| T: Ian Williams| OR: 100

7/2

Ian Williams appears to have this much travelled 7yo firmly back on the right track judging by his last couple of runs; tried to blow his rivals away off the front end at Ascot (2m) penultimate, but was reeled in by Cleonte (¾L winner).

Form: 120-022

(5)

Clever Cookie^p¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 9-8| J: T P Queally| T: P D Niven| OR: 98| D

25/1

Group 2 winning stayer who has been a fabulous servant to Peter Niven; not the force of old nowadays, yet still able to finish ninth of 20 in the Northumberland Plate in June; ideally requires rain.

Form: 366795

(3)

Coeur de Lion^p⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: K Shoemark| T: A King| OR: 92

4/1

Runner-up in this race in 2017 (now 13lb higher), and has proved himself to be a rock-solid stayer over these marathon trips in 2018 (Chester Plate runner-up, Ascot Stakes sixth); worthy of immense respect, and certain to be Cesarewitch bound.

Form: 122638

(1)

St Mary's²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: William Cox⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 89

7/1

4lb higher than when winning at Nottingham (1m6f, good) in October 2017, and has done a fair chunk of AW racing since; back on turf more latterly (twice a runner-up; including over 2m on the July Course); disappointing latest.

Form: 755225

(6)

Handiwork^p¹⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: J P Spencer| T: S Gollings| OR: 87

16/1

Very lightly raced over the past 18 months or so, but managed to land a 2m Class 4 Doncaster handicap in successive seasons; 6lb higher than when keeping on gamely to beat Montanna by a head in April; ground versatile and is a likely player.

Form: 296/18-1

(2)

Golden Spear^t⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-10| J: J F Egan| T: A J Martin| OR: 86

7/1

Has raced on the Flat on just three occasions since beating Nakeeta by ½L in the 1m7f November Handicap at Leopardstown in October 2016 (yielding); fifth in the 2016 Cesarewitch (same mark); interesting.

Form: 551/0-60

(9)

Monjeni^p⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: K T O'Neill| T: Ian Williams| OR: 80

6/1

Going away at the finish when scoring over 1m6f at Haydock in May (Cl 4, good to firm); 7lb higher, but has neither progressed nor regressed since, and in truth this looks to be over competitive; trainer also saddles Stars Over The Sea and Paddy A.

Form: 313-744

(4)

Conkering Hero³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: Milly Naseb⁽⁵⁾| T: J Tuite| OR: 79

33/1

Unexposed on turf (0-4) - AW career has thrived since his last start on grass; landed a Class 5-6 hat-trick over the summer months (Kempton/Chelmsford and Wolverhampton); 6lb above his last winning mark, but probably not good enough for this grade.

Form: 311143

(10)

Paddy A^p¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-0| J: Noel Garbutt⁽³⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 76

33/1

Won back-to-back 1m6f handicaps on fast ground during July (Nottingham and Haydock), but has appeared in the grip of the handicapper since; trainer also saddles Stars Over The Sea and Monjeni.

Form: 411253

Forecasts

Stars Over The Sea (7/2), Coeur de Lion (4/1), Fun Mac (5/1), Monjeni (6/1), Golden Spear (7/1), St Mary's (7/1), Handiwork (16/1), Clever Cookie (25/1), Paddy A (33/1), Conkering Hero (33/1)

Not as strong numerically as expected, but a nice pot to pocket prior to the main event next month. Ian Williams saddles three runners, the pick of whom is Stars Over The Sea, although he could prove vulnerable late in the race unless Pat Cosgrave can restrain him. Handiwork is a lightly-raced 8yo who is versatile ground wise and has been prepared for an autumn campaign, whilst Golden Spear would be of major interest based on his Flat form from 2016. However, the solid stamina-laden stayer is the 2017 race runner-up COEUR DE LION. He has done little wrong this campaign, albeit without winning on turf, but today could be his day in the limelight.