14:35 Hamilton

Sunday 5 May 2019

All13:3014:0514:3515:1015:4516:2016:55

Hampton By Hilton Opening This Summer Buttonhook Handicap

Off time: 14:43 | Winning time: 2m 47.83s

(8)

Shrewd⁵⁶⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: T Eaves| T: I Jardine| OR: 92

40/1

Stays well and acts on good ground. Hasn't won since 2016, but hasn't raced for over 18-months. If he retains his ability he could make an impact here, but the market can guide us as to expectations on his return.

Form: 809330/

(6)

Jabbaar⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 88

9/1

Last win came from 8lb lower at Chester (1m4f, good) 12-months ago. Was then placed in eight successive races from this or slightly higher marks. Held over 2m on reappearance, but looks to have strong claims.

Form: 32322-5

(3)

Rare Groove³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: P J McDonald| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 88| C

5/4

Scored here over 1m3f (good) in August and followed up at Newcastle (1m4f). Ran well on reappearance at Leicester (1m4f, good) last month. Nudged up 1lb for that career-best, but should be thereabouts.

Form: 56119-3

(2)

Charles Kingsley¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: A Mullen| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 87

9/4

Debut winner of a Beverley novice event (1m2f, good to soft) in September. Not as good in two further runs, but reappearance run (1m4f, AW) was step back in right direction, and looks to be in on a fair mark here. Interesting.

Form: 14-2

(4)

Eye of The Storm⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 8-10| J: Sean Davis⁽⁵⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 81

15/2

Triple Listed winner over 1m4f-2m earlier in his career, but now without a win since 2015. Has claims on a couple of pieces of 2018 form, but would need to be much better than his two runs so far this term.

Form: 6050-86

(1)

Carbon Dating¹³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-10| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: Andrew Hughes| OR: 81| C

18/1

4-37 career record, winning one of those here (1m3f, good) in 2016. Most recent success came from 20lb higher at Ayr in 2017, but on the slide since and recent efforts offer no encouragement.

Form: 670689-

(5)

Loud And Clear³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 8-9| J: Phil Dennis| T: J S Goldie| OR: 80

25/1

Won three times on AW in the winter from 1m4f-2m, the latest from just 3lb lower. Acts on turf, where he has won two bumpers. If you can forgive his latest effort, he probably has frame claims here.

Form: 1-13235

(7)

Framley Garth³²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: L Bailey| OR: 77| C

14/1

Scored here over an extended 1m two years ago and goes on most ground. 5lb higher than his last win, which came at York last summer (1m4f, good to firm), and more needed if he is to add to that from this mark.

Form: 36453-5

Forecasts

Rare Groove (5/4), Charles Kingsley (9/4), Eye of The Storm (15/2), Jabbaar (9/1), Framley Garth (14/1), Carbon Dating (18/1), Loud And Clear (25/1), Shrewd (40/1)

Check the market with regard to Shrewd, who would be interesting if retaining his ability, but preference is for stablemate JABBAAR, who can shake off his reappearance blues and get back to winning ways over this trip. Rare Groove should be very competitive, while handicap newcomer Charles Kingsley is also feared.