17:05 Newmarket

Saturday 8 June 2019

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

John Holmes Handicap

Off time: 17:09 | Winning time: 2m 29.37s

(5)

Great Bear²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Jason Watson| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 81| D

3/1

Excuses at Haydock (soft) on return, but has won his other two starts, and had plenty to spare when beating Moghram by 3¾ lengths in a 1m3½f at Bath last time. Ought to take plenty of beating.

Form: 1-41

(1)

Stormwave^b1²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 81

16/1

Justified favouritism when scoring on debut at Salisbury in October, but has been disappointing on both starts since, fading tamely in Listed race over 1¼m here last time. Blinkers reached for, and on a recovery mission now.

Form: 1-86

(7)

Holy Kingdom²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: James Doyle| T: Tom Clover| OR: 80

9/2

Second in a 1m novice at Lingfield in January, and improved further when 2L second of 8 to Arctic Fox in a 1¼m handicap here last month. That form has worked out well, and he's not underestimated.

Form: 5-622

(2)

Gravistas⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 79| BF

11/8

Proving expensive to follow, and runner-up at short odds on his last four outings. Slow starts have cost him the last twice, but remains capable of better, and will improve when everything clicks.

Form: 622-22

(3)

Artistic Language^v⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Callum Shepherd| T: B J Meehan| OR: 74

18/1

Visored for the first time and produced easily his best effort when second of 6 to Buriram in a heavy-ground 1m3f handicap at Carlisle last time. Not certain to build on that, but longer trip should at least help.

Form: 824-672

(6)

Top Top⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: S De Sousa| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 72

6/1

Has yet to improve on his promising debut here in October, and left Ralph Beckett before return at Nottingham, when well beaten. Not sure to stay, but ought to be capable of better than he's shown.

Form: 54-7

(4)

Mr Zoom Zoom¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: E J Walsh| T: L McJannet| OR: 69

25/1

Better effort in handicaps when runner-up over 1m3½f at Windsor on penultimate start. Bit below form over same track and trip last time, and blinkers he wore for that effort are left off now.

Form: 76-3525

Forecasts

Gravistas (11/8), Great Bear (3/1), Holy Kingdom (9/2), Top Top (6/1), Stormwave (16/1), Artistic Language (18/1), Mr Zoom Zoom (25/1)

GREAT BEAR had plenty in hand when winning last time, and although he's asked a stiffer question here, he looks well up to finding the improvement required on paper. Gravistas has been second on his last four starts, and looks the one to give the selection most to do, although Holy Kingdom is underestimated with his latest effort having been franked since.