18:50 Ripon

Wednesday 19 June 2019

All18:5019:2019:5020:2020:5021:20

Middleham Racing Breaks Apprentice Selling Handicap

Off time: 18:50 | Winning time: 2m 9.84s

(7)

X Rated¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Aiden Smithies⁽³⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 62| D

20/1

Scored in handicap over this trip at Haydock last year on decent ground but has generally struggled since then. Kept on at Wolverhampton recently without threatening but drops in class and could prove dangerous for top yard that won this last year.

Form: 5384-78

(9)

Arms Of The Angel²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Aidan Redpath⁽³⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 64

6/1

Stable companion of X Rated. Promise on debut when third in Newcastle AW mile novice stakes in October, but hasn't really progressed since. Appeared not to handle surface at Southwell latest and certainly worth a try stepping up in trip.

Form: 35557-8

(3)

Simon's Smile^p¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Gianluca Sanna| T: K R Burke| OR: 64

17/2

Fair second last month in Redcar 1m2f handicap but ran poorly in better raceover C&D last time. Drops in garde and is joint top-rated on official figures so market may prove informative.

Form: 37-6259

(2)

Ventura Bay¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Joe Bradnam| T: R A Fahey| OR: 64

11/8

12-race maiden who has had plenty of chances so far. Run respectably without troubling judge in three starts over a mile this term and appeared not to stay previous attempt at this trip. Decent chance on figures if he sees it out.

Form: 266-444

(5)

Amy Blair⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Luke Bacon| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 50

9/1

Won five times for Keith Dalgleish at up to 1m1f but appears to have really lost his wya in four starts for current handler. Stamina may be an issue and faces a tough task at the weights.

Form: 8700-07

(6)

Amity Island^b¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Izzy Clifton| T: Ollie Pears| OR: 50

14/1

Only win in 19 attempts came over a mile on Fibresand at Southwell. Fair runner-up in C&D seller on penultimate start and probably didn't stay the 1m4f in better race last time. Not favoured by weights but seems to like it here.

Form: 550720

(4)

Myklachi^h²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: George Bass| T: D O'Meara| OR: 57

7/1

Drops in class after five starts to date appearing to show regressive form in two runs so far this season. Yard in decent form though and doesn't have much to find at the weights if on a going day.

Form: 480-76

(8)

Slaithwaite¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Owen Payton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 52

7/1

Hadn't reached a place in five previous starts prior to improved effort when third in C&D non-seller earlier this month. May be thereabouts if able to build on that on slightly easier ground.

Form: 880-003

(1)

Heldtoransom^h¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-0| J: Mollie Phillips| T: J Tuite| OR: 45

50/1

Has shown precious little ability in three runs to date and will need to take a massive step forward to be competitive, even at this level. Very hard to fancy.

Form: 040

Forecasts

Ventura Bay (11/8), Arms Of The Angel (6/1), Myklachi (7/1), Slaithwaite (7/1), Simon's Smile (17/2), Amy Blair (9/1), Amity Island (14/1), X Rated (20/1), Heldtoransom (50/1)

Question marks and squiggles against a number of these but SLAITHWAITE ran well enough here last time to suggest he might be able to back that up getting weight from most of his rivals. Both Mark Johnson's X Rated and Arms Of The Angel have claims if running to their best and the yard landed this event 12 months ago, while Myklachi isn't out of it, and nor is Ventura Bay. Any support for Simon's Smile would be interesting.