14:50 Worcester

Wednesday 3 July 2019

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5017:20

Kingswood Cup Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:50 | Winning time: 5m 50.40s

Vendredi Trois^p³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 119| CD

8/1

Dual course winner (hurdles and fences); was beaten 3L by Bestwork in this race in 2018 (when run as a Class 3) and ultra-consistent in defeat since (3,3,2,3,2,2,5); possibly high enough in the weights.

Form: 3232-25

Bramble Brook^p,t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 118

10/1

Handles most conditions and is a three-time winner over fences (2m2f-3m2f); 3lb higher than when finishing off strongly to get within 1½L the Donald McCain-trained Ink Master at Newton Abbot (2m, good) last month.

Form: 33493-2

Empresario^t⁴⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: T J O'Brien| T: J Coulson| OR: 117

66/1

Well beaten on the AW at Newcastle (2m) when last competing under rules in February 2018; race-fit from a spell in Irish PTP's, beaten 4½L (third) by Kruzhlinin at Ballindenisk in May.

Form: P506/23

Shoal Bay^p,t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 116| C

9/2

Won his bumper at this track in October 2017, and was once rated in the 130's over hurdles; hasn't been the most fluent over fences just yet but in all fairness is still learning the ropes; fourth on nine over C&D latest (beaten 10¾L).

Form: 5645-24

Border Breaker¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: T Reed| OR: 112

10/1

Winner for the likes of Sam England and David Pipe, although admittedly hasn't always been the easiest of horses; backed up his Sedgefield point-to-point win with an 8L Rules second to the thriving Ronava at Hexham (2m4f, good).

Form: 233-S12

Old Pride²⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-5| J: Alex Edwards⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 112

4/1

Has won just once in 25 starts under Rules (0-9 fences) but is a consistent front-runner with previous Worcester form; ran a blinder on return from a nine-month break when caught close home by Steel Wave at Bangor (3m); now 5lb higher.

Form: 4P223-2

Kings Temptation^p1,t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Kielan Woods| T: B I Case| OR: 112

9/1

5lb higher than when staying on strongly to beat Stormy Milan by 6L at Fontwell (3m2f, good) in May; has had wind surgery since (and now wears cheekpieces); disappointing at Market Rasen latest.

Form: 3284-13

Out For Justice^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: Katy Price| OR: 110

9/2

Progressive chaser; is 2-2 since teaming up with the Champion Jockey Richard Johnson; 10lb higher than when beating Brown Bear by an eased down 3L at Fontwell (2m5½f, good to soft) three weeks ago; key player.

Form: 2227-11

Wilberdragon^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 109WS

14/1

Hardly boasts the most compelling of records over fences (1-13), but a positive argument can be made from a handicapping perspective assuming that recent wind surgery has worked the oracle; warrants market inspection at least.

Form: 555/73-4

Delgany Demon¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 107

9/1

Veteran (formerly with Neil King); has probably needed his first two starts for Dan Skelton and is slowly easing in the weights; even allowing for this trainers reputation, it's very difficult to identify a positive angle; look elsewhere.

Form: 426P/64

Midnight Jade⁸¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 105

40/1

Has a pleasing rules strike-rate (4-12) and has won 50% of her starts over fences; competes off the same mark as when gamely beating Cruising Bye by ½L at Bangor in March 2017; has been pointing in early 2019.

Form: 1131/53-

Non-Runners

Shanty Town⁴²¹

Weight: 11-1| Age: 10

T: David Dennis J: G Sheehan

Forecasts

Old Pride (4/1), Shoal Bay (9/2), Out For Justice (9/2), Vendredi Trois (8/1), Delgany Demon (9/1), Kings Temptation (9/1), Bramble Brook (10/1), Border Breaker (10/1), Wilberdragon (14/1), Shanty Town (20/1), Midnight Jade (40/1), Empresario (66/1)

The Champion Jockey Richard Johnson has struck up an excellent rapport with the Katy Price-trained OUT FOR JUSTICE. A comfortable winner of his last two starts over fences (at Bangor and Fontwell) there's every likelihood that the hat-trick can be landed despite making a step up in grade from a 10lb higher mark. Others worthy of consideration in an otherwise open race include the gallant veteran Old Pride who ran a stormer on his seasonal reappearance at Bangor and the much less experienced Shoal Bay.