20:40 Sandown

Thursday 23 May 2019

All18:0018:3519:0519:3520:1020:40

Matchbook Casino Whitsun Cup Handicap

Off time: 20:42 | Winning time: 1m 42.21s

(8)

Azzeccagarbugli¹³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Rossa Ryan| T: M Murphy| OR: 94| D

25/1

Still searching for his first win since his Italian days with Stefano Botti; left the care of Marco Botti for 28,000gns in February, just a matter of weeks after finishing 1L second to Tough Remedy on Tapeta at Newcastle (1m).

Form: 93842-2

(4)

War Glory¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: R Hannon| OR: 93| D

11/2

Took advantage of a small drop in the weights to get back to winning ways (his first success on turf) under Ryan Moore at Lingfield (7½f soft) 12-days ago; no issues with this quicker ground; 3lb rise a different matter.

Form: 5-04661

(7)

History Writer^t⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Watson| T: D Menuisier| OR: 91| CD

9/4

6lb higher than when winning over C&D (good) last August - comfortably had the measure of the progressive Ledham; has faced some stiff tasks since; made some progress from the rear on seasonal reappearance in Newbury's Spring Cup (7th of 26).

Form: 16504-7

(9)

Lush Life¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Spencer| T: J A Osborne| OR: 91| D

11/4

A winner on three of her first four starts (7f-1m), including off a 7lb lower mark on turf at Ascot (good) last October; beaten 2L (third) by today's rival Greenside on seasonal reappearance at Windsor (1m, good).

Form: 1/1418-3

(5)

Kitaabaat²³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Jim Crowley| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 88| CD

4/1

C&D winner (novice) last September; has knocked fairly consistently at the door over 1m since introduced to handicapping; beaten 3½L by the Roger Charlton-trained Blue Mist on his final start of the 2018 campaign (Ascot).

Form: 21/6252-

(2)

I'vegotthepower^v¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Oisin Murphy| T: B J Meehan| OR: 87| D

16/1

Won three races on rattling fast ground during the course of 2017 (Bath x2 and Goodwood); evidently in need of the run when returning from a lengthy absence at Windsor 17-days ago (finished 7th of 8 to Greenside).

Form: 12011/7

(1)

Masked Identity²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Gavin Ashton⁽⁷⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 85| D

12/1

Bought unraced by this trainer for £12,000 in December 2018 (once a 210,000gns yearling); 2-3 in novice company on the AW, including when landing the odds at Southwell (1m) three weeks ago; facing a stiff task on handicap debut.

Form: 121

(10)

Data Protection^t²⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Nicola Currie| T: W R Muir| OR: 80| CD

20/1

6lb higher than when beating Whitehall by a neck over C&D (Cl 5) last August; versatile in terms of underfoot conditions, but this race rates as a tough starting point for the season; others appear to be better handicapped.

Form: 115737-

Non-Runners

(3)

Greenside¹⁷

Weight: 9-7| Age: 8

T: H Candy J: Harry Bentley

(6)

Borderforce²⁶

Weight: 9-3| Age: 6

T: George Baker J: Cieren Fallon

Forecasts

History Writer (9/4), Lush Life (11/4), Greenside (3/1), Kitaabaat (4/1), War Glory (11/2), Masked Identity (12/1), Borderforce (12/1), I'vegotthepower (16/1), Data Protection (20/1), Azzeccagarbugli (25/1)

The Spring Cup at Newbury holds plenty of clues with regards finding the winner of the 2019 renewal of the Whitsun Cup. GREENSIDE, who has history in this race, finished fourth of 26 to Chatez (today's rival History Writer an encouraging seventh) before readily accounting for Lush Life (third) at Windsor (1m) the following month. A 4lb rise for that River Thames victory means that he has slightly more to do on this occasion, but it's well worth noting that he was also successful off this perch (94) over C&D in June 2017. Therefore, he rates as the rock-solid fancy tonight.