17:30 Ascot

Friday 10 May 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Wood & Wood Signs Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 17:33 | Winning time: 3m 38.31s

(6)

Billy Ray¹⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Scott McCullagh⁽⁵⁾| T: M R Channon| OR: 91

11/4

Mudlark; 2lb higher than when beating Volcanic Sky by 1L at Redcar (1m6f, soft) in October 2018; definite each-way shout if race-fit (runner up on 2018 reappearance).

Form: 160513-

(8)

Orin Swift¹⁰^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Tyler Saunders⁽⁵⁾| T: J G Portman| OR: 78

4/1

Late developer; admirably consistent since making a winning seasonal reappearance at Newbury (1m4f) in May 2018 - 3,5,2,2,1; no worries about this 2m trip on soft ground; 5lb claimer effectively negates his Nottingham penalty; major player.

Form: 13522-1

(3)

Medburn Cutler^p²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-6| J: Gary Mahon| T: P Hedger| OR: 81| D

33/1

Made a winning seasonal reappearance off this mark at Newbury (2m2f, good to soft) in 2018, but well beaten (eased) when bidding to repeat the dose in that same contest last month; theoretically should appreciate these conditions.

Form: 33/174-6

(1)

Flintrock¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Joshua Bryan| T: A M Balding| OR: 82

16/1

Finished third on debut to today's rival Billy Ray in a Salisbury maiden (1m4f) in April 2018, before winning over an extended 1m3f on firm ground at Bath; low-mileage; not encouraging latest (flopped).

Form: 317-46

(5)

Graceful Lady¹⁸⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Darragh Keenan⁽³⁾| T: R Eddery| OR: 79| D

5/1

Seeks the hat-trick following backend 2m soft ground wins at Newbury and Newmarket - combined 12lb rise; given far too much to do when finishing sixth in this contest last year (on a recovery mission); much respected.

Form: 634411-

(7)

Gang Warfare^p,t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: Sebastian Woods⁽³⁾| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 79| D

25/1

Finished fifth in this race last year (50/1); competes off a similar mark as when successful over 2m at Chepstow (good to soft) last summer; in and out on the AW of late (Southwell); others more reliable.

Form: 317-936

(9)

Gavlar^v²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Georgia Dobie⁽⁷⁾| T: W J Knight| OR: 77| D

20/1

Wins in his turn, and evidently not the force of old; most prolific on the AW in any case (5-27); 3lb lower than for his last start on turf, but difficult to be wildly optimistic with an overall record of 1-26 on the green stuff.

Form: 1787-87

(10)

Agrapart³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 77| D

7/4

Hasn't run on the Flat in the UK yet, or at all since competing for this trainer in France in early 2015; 150-rated over hurdles (underachieving for the past 12 months or so); ground perfect; prowess/aptitude for Flat racing an unknown.

Form: 9210/

Non-Runners

(2)

Manjaam¹⁶

Weight: 9-12| Age: 6

T: Ian Williams J: Gabriele Malune

(4)

Guns of Leros¹⁶

Weight: 9-10| Age: 6

T: G & J Moore J: Rhys Clutterbuck

Forecasts

Agrapart (7/4), Billy Ray (11/4), Orin Swift (4/1), Graceful Lady (5/1), Manjaam (8/1), Guns of Leros (12/1), Flintrock (16/1), Gavlar (20/1), Gang Warfare (25/1), Medburn Cutler (33/1)

If there is a fly in the ointment, it's surely the classy but underachieving hurdler Agrapart who could feasibly be revitalised for a belated switch back to the Flat (French winner in 2014). However, the likes of Billy Ray (place claims), the hat-trick seeking mare Graceful Lady and the recent Nottingham winner ORIN SWIFT are more realistic contenders. The selection was a late developer, but has found his feet for the much respected Jonathan Portman. His chance is an all too obvious one with the 5lb claimer Tyler Saunders effectively removing his 5lb winners penalty (Richard Kingscote ridden at Nottingham). Hopefully, he can rack up a sequence of wins.