20:05 Doncaster

Saturday 18 May 2019

All17:3018:0018:3519:0519:3520:0520:35

Yates Drywall Ltd Handicap

Off time: 20:08 | Winning time: 1m 11.42s

(17)

Airshow³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: L Morris| T: M Appleby| OR: 82| BF| D

9/1

Left Rod Millman for 42,000gns in October 2018; beaten just over 3L when finishing third on stable debut/seasonal reappearance at Beverley (5f); this extra furlong is in his favour.

Form: 12672-3

(1)

Athollblair Boy¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 80| D

14/1

Fair to say that he's developed into a Newcastle specialist in recent years (four wins there between 6f and 7f); has made a reasonable transition back to turf, beaten 2L (third) at Thirsk (6f) a fortnight ago.

Form: 323343

(14)

Galloway Hills¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: S H James| T: Phillip Makin| OR: 80| BF| D

6/1

4lb higher than when making a winning debut for Phil Makin at Redcar (6f, good to firm); very closely matched with today's rivals Equiano Springs and Athollblair Boy based upon recent Thirsk form (6f).

Form: 0000-14

(6)

Black Isle Boy^t1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 80| BF| D

7/1

4lb below his last winning mark, but could never land a blow when bidding to win that 6f Thirsk handicap (7/2f) for the second successive year on seasonal reappearance; tongue-tie now added.

Form: 45429-9

(9)

Iconic Knight¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Liam Keniry| T: E Walker| OR: 80

14/1

Just failed to reel in Lady Dancealot by a head off a similar mark at Goodwood in September 2018 (6f, good to soft); should benefit for his seasonal return at Ascot (5f); expected to be finishing off well late.

Form: 55120-7

(5)

Wrenthorpe^p¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Harry Russell⁽⁷⁾| T: B Smart| OR: 78

10/1

Has picked up where he left off last season with some pleasing efforts; 1lb higher than when beaten 1¼L by the in-form Pennsylvania Dutch (some of today's rivals behind) at Thirsk (6f, good) 19-days ago; EW chance.

Form: 3561-32

(2)

Zeyzoun^h²¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: George Wood| T: C F Wall| OR: 77| BF

10/1

7f French winner for A De Royer-Dupre; 0-6 for Chris Wall; caught close home when beaten ¾L by Weellan at Catterick (7f, soft) on his final start of the season in 2018; dropped in trip.

Form: 404352-

(8)

Equiano Springs¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: A Mullen| T: T P Tate| OR: 75| D

4/1

Beat Athollblair Boy by ½L on his penultimate start (Newcastle 6f); just failed to exploit a more lenient turf mark at Thirsk (6f, good) latest; 3lb higher; likely to force the pace; broadly similar claims to a couple of today's rivals.

Form: 61-2212

(11)

Mostahel¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: G Lee| T: P T Midgley| OR: 74| D

33/1

Formerly in the care of Richard Hannon; has struggled for form since joining the sprint king Paul Midgley (0-2); free-falling in the weights as a result; best watched; stablemate of Prestbury Park.

Form: 0/057-00

(16)

Bahamian Sunrise^p¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: B A Curtis| T: J Gallagher| OR: 71

50/1

Yet to win beyond an extended 5f trip, but now sits 8lb lower than when scoring at Epsom (5f, good) 13 months ago; faded inside the final furlong when finishing in midfield (33/1) over this trip at Windsor 12-days ago.

Form: 930-076

(3)

Blazed^b1,t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Harry Bentley| T: E F Vaughan| OR: 70

10/1

Often placed from marks in the mid to high 70's last season - finds it difficult to get his head in front (1-20); below-par in recent times but could be pepped up by the introduction of blinkers; not a total no-hoper.

Form: 338-604

(15)

Prestbury Park²³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: K Stott| T: P T Midgley| OR: 70| D

16/1

Won twice as a juvenile for Mark Johnston (6f); hasn't shaped like an obvious winner since joining Paul Midgley (also runs Mostahel), but his recent Beverley third to Secretinthepark (5f) was given a boost by the luckless Johnny Cavagin on Monday.

Form: 0538-83

(10)

Lucky Beggar³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 8-10| J: D Allan| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 69| D

12/1

Notched his seventh career win when making all to see off 16 other rivals at Thirsk (6f, good to firm) five-weeks ago; that form has been franked since by the placed horses Scuzeme and Ginger Jam; 9lb rise not excessive.

Form: 64500-1

(13)

Kenny The Captain¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-10| J: Rachel Richardson| T: T D Easterby| OR: 69| CD

25/1

A nine-time winner from 70 starts, albeit with a few quirks - can fluff the start; not in the best of form so far this season (finished last of 14 at Thirsk latest); 12lb lower than when fourth in the Ayr Bronze Cup (Sept 2018).

Form: 4000-00

(18)

Socialites Red^p¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 68| D

33/1

Kept very busy since late March (1,2,1,2,2,8), winning on both the Fibresand at Southwell (6f) and on a sound surface at Pontefract (5f); has risen in the weights as a result and likely to find others more competitive tonight.

Form: 121226

(4)

Kodiline¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Gina Mangan⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 68| D

33/1

9lb lower than when winning by a neck at Lingfield (7f) in January - has lost his way since then; seventh of 14 (50/1) to Pennsylvania Dutch on return to turf at Thirsk (6f) latest - held by Wrenthorpe.

Form: 707807

(7)

Normal Equilibrium¹⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 8-7| J: Gabriele Malune⁽³⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 64

50/1

No win since August 2017 (Chester 5f); finished last of 12 at Southwell (5f) in December and off since; unconsidered from out of the handicap proper.

Form: 605660-

Non-Runners

(12)

Tathmeen²²

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: A Brittain J: Cam Hardie

Forecasts

Equiano Springs (4/1), Galloway Hills (6/1), Black Isle Boy (7/1), Airshow (9/1), Zeyzoun (10/1), Blazed (10/1), Wrenthorpe (10/1), Lucky Beggar (12/1), Athollblair Boy (14/1), Iconic Knight (14/1), Tathmeen (14/1), Prestbury Park (16/1), Kenny The Captain (25/1), Kodiline (33/1), Socialites Red (33/1), Mostahel (33/1), Normal Equilibrium (50/1), Bahamian Sunrise (50/1)

This race is as tough as they come, and a candidate for the trickiest race of a busy Saturday across the country. Equiano Springs is reasonably treated on turf despite a small adjustment by the handicapper (3lb). He has the measure of his Thirsk foes Athollblair Boy and Galloway Hills. Airshow should be suited by stepping back up in trip after a promising seasonal return at Beverley (5f), while the versatile Tathmeen could potentially profit if the forecast chunky showers do arrive. Furthermore, the consistent Wrenthorpe merits a mention, but the pin finally falls upon the fast-finishing ICONIC KNIGHT for Ed Walker.