18:55 Newmarket

Thursday 16 May 2019

All17:1017:4518:2018:5519:3020:0520:35

bestwestern.co.uk Handicap

Off time: 18:56 | Winning time: 2m 37.89s

(4)

Hameem²³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Jim Crowley| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 85| CD

9/4

Consistent and reliable as a 3yo; she followed up a short odds Brighton novice win (1m2f) when beating Saving Grace by 1¼L over C&D (good) on handicap debut in late September 2018; 3lb higher for seasonal reappearance.

Form: 5/22211-

(1)

Medalla De Oro²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: L Morris| T: Tom Clover| OR: 80| D

9/2

Front-runner who won three races for former trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam, including the Amateurs' Derby at Epsom (1m4f, soft) in August 2018; 2lb lower than when finishing a weakening fifth on recent stable debut (Class 3).

Form: 21965-5

(3)

C'Est No Mour¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Tom Marquand| T: P Hedger| OR: 79| D

7/2

Won four-times during the summer of 2017 (1m2f-1m4f) but drew a blank last season (often placed) owing to an elevated mark; only beaten ¾L in a driving finish on his Windsor seasonal reappearance (1m3f+, good); 1lb higher; much respected.

Form: 23448-2

(9)

Blazing Saddles^b1¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Harry Bentley| T: R M Beckett| OR: 77| D

5/1

Lightly-raced Thirsk novice winner (1m4f, good to firm); hasn't shown his best since sent handicapping, although has faced some tough assignments in all fairness; 3lb lower than at Doncaster with blinkers now applied.

Form: 36165-0

(2)

The Pinto Kid^t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: George Wood| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 77| D

5/1

Has progressed since sent handicapping on the AW (2-4 in Class 5 contests); 4lb above his last winning mark; placed on seasonal reappearance over 1m6f at Chelmsford (beaten 3¼L) three-weeks ago.

Form: 56211-3

(6)

Needs To Be Seen⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: B Doyle| T: J Ryan| OR: 75

33/1

Joined this trainer for 70,000gns in July 2018 (formerly with Joseph O'Brien); campaigned mainly over hurdles since - a quick ground Musselburgh winner in November 2018; untested on the Flat in handicap company (rated 75).

Form: 3255-

(8)

The Night King¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Darragh Keenan⁽⁵⁾| T: M Quinn| OR: 71

12/1

A regular winner at Chelmsford (1m2f) over the winter AW season; 1lb above his last winning mark, but not obviously well treated on the green stuff off an identical mark to on the AW (just 1-12 overall on turf); stamina?

Form: 77-1444

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

(5)

Amourice¹²

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: Jane Chapple-Hyam J: David Egan

(10)

Speed Company¹⁹

Weight: 9-2| Age: 6

T: Ian Williams J: J P Spencer

(7)

Rake's Progress¹⁹

Weight: 8-13| Age: 5

T: H Main J: Charles Bishop

Forecasts

Hameem (9/4), C'Est No Mour (7/2), Medalla De Oro (9/2), Blazing Saddles (5/1), The Pinto Kid (5/1), Rake's Progress (10/1), The Night King (12/1), Speed Company (14/1), Amourice (16/1), Needs To Be Seen (33/1)

A compact handicap which features the returning C&D winner Hameem for whom a 3lb rise in the weights looks to be perfectly fair. If fit enough to do herself justice off a 236-day absence she'll almost certainly be on the premises for Gosden and Crowley. However, there are others to consider with the benefit of a recent run, namely Medalla De Oro (now based with Tom Clover) and the Peter Hedger-trained C'EST NO MOUR. The selection endured a barren spell in 2018 but does have the all important winning mentality instilled as demonstrated the previous summer (four wins), and crucially he posted a cracking seasonal reappearance at Windsor (1m3f+) recently.