15:20 Leicester

Tuesday 9 October 2018

All14:1514:5015:2015:5016:2516:5517:3018:00

Racing UK Autumn Sprint Handicap

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 58.0s

(5)

Encore d'Or²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Jim Crowley| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 101| D

4/1

Back to form recently with a Listed third followed by win at Yarmouth (5f, good to firm) last time. More needed from 4lb higher, but entitled to make the short list.

Form: 544631

(7)

Gracious John¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Fran Berry| T: P D Evans| OR: 98| CD

7/1

Won this last year from 2lb lower on good to soft, but acts on good. Also scored from this mark at Newbury in April. Below par last two starts, but if back to his best, he could make a bold bid to repeat last year's success.

Form: 535207

(6)

Tanasoq¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Bentley| T: P T Midgley| OR: 96| D

4/1

Completed a hat-trick on a sound/fast surface in the spring, the last one from 6lb lower. Decent effort to be fifth in Ayr Gold Cup last time. More needed.

Form: 172085

(4)

Haddaf²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: J Tate| OR: 96| D

13/2

Won a Sandown Listed event in June and third in a Newmarket Group 3 since then. Has faced some stiff tasks in handicaps, but back on a more feasible mark now and not ruled out.

Form: 683086

(2)

Kick On Kick On¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 96| CD

3/1

Scored on reappearance at Windsor (5f, good to firm) in July, when 6lb lower. Beaten just 1L over C&D (good) last month, when 1lb lower (career-best). Still improving and not ruled out.

Form: 621-184

(1)

Mirza^p²³

Age: 11| Weight: 9-2| J: M Harley| T: Rae Guest| OR: 96| CD

16/1

Won this from an 8lb higher mark in 2016. Not in that sort of form this term, but his Group 3 third at Sandown in July suggests it would be premature to write him off. However, more needed here than we have seen since then.

Form: 823400

(3)

Blue De Vega¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 96| D

6/1

In reasonably good form. Scored at Ascot in July, on his last start prior to being gelded, but is 0-5 since. Up 3lb since latest run at Haydock and more needed.

Form: 135305

Forecasts

Kick On Kick On (3/1), Encore d'Or (4/1), Tanasoq (4/1), Blue De Vega (6/1), Haddaf (13/2), Gracious John (7/1), Mirza (16/1)

A decent contest where HADDAF is taken to exploit what looks to be a more feasible mark than some of those from which he has raced in handicaps this season. Gracious John should be thereabouts again in a bid to repeat last year's win, with Kick On Kick On and Encore d'Or the other pair to make some appeal.