15:15 Haydock

Saturday 6 July 2019

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 2m 30.2s

(17)

First Eleven^t⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 109| D

7/2

Winner of his last two handicap starts; 5lb higher than when beating the Duke of Edinburgh-placed Fujaira Prince by a neck on seasonal reappearance at York (1m4f, good to firm) in May; holds a number of today's rivals on that form.

Form: 13513-1

(15)

Byron Flyer^v¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: David Probert| T: Ian Williams| OR: 104| D

25/1

Rattled off a quickfire hat-trick last back end (all 1m4f, good); has coped okay with the consequential rise in the weights, beaten 1½L (second) by Soto Sizzler (Eddystone Rock third) in a Class 2 handicap at Epsom (1m4f, good to firm) on Derby Day.

Form: 111-028

(9)

Aquarium¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 103

10/1

Reasonably solid since early April (228107), with that win coming over an extended 1m2f on soft ground at Chester; stayed on steadily from off the pace when finishing seventh of 19 (40-1) in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot latest.

Form: 228107

(1)

Lucius Tiberius¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: B Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 101

14/1

With Aidan O'Brien until changing hands for 320,000gns in October 2018; is yet to score in the Godolphin silks (0-4) but went close when dead-heating for second, beaten a neck by UAE Prince at York (1m2f, good to firm) in May; does stay 1m4f.

Form: 04-4520

(12)

Island Brave¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: H Main| OR: 99| D

18/1

Strong stayer who finished a keeping on fifth to Withhold in the 2018 Northumberland Plate; 3lb higher than when winning (beat Kelly's Dino by ¾L) a Class 2 Ayr handicap (1m5f, good) for this rider a fortnight ago; definite chance.

Form: 810-491

(4)

Epaulement⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 98| C

10/1

Course winner (1m2f) with a 25% strike-rate (3-12); ½L runner-up to today's rival Aquarium at Chester in May (1lb better off); held off this career high mark in the Zetland Gold Cup (ninth of 14) at Redcar latest; stamina doubts.

Form: 412-129

(14)

Charles Kingsley¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: David Egan| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 98| D

14/1

Headed to Ayr seeking a hat-trick following successive wins at Hamilton (1m3f) and Brighton (1m4f) but found the weights/grade rise too much in finishing just over 2L fifth of 14 to the re-opposing rivals Island Brave and Kelly's Dino; needs more.

Form: 224115

(5)

Bombyx^v1²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 98| D

14/1

Lacks experience of racing in handicaps (0-1) having been highly tried in Listed, Group and Conditions races since easily winning a four-runner Doncaster novice (1m4f, good to firm) last July; a visor is applied; others are preferred.

Form: 4133-53

(6)

Restorer²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: P Hanagan| T: Ian Williams| OR: 98| D

20/1

Sits near enough his last winning mark (1m4f, Leicester); drops back in trip after appearing not to stay 1m6f at Newmarket; has some work to do with Aquarium/Epaulement on the basis of earlier Chester form; stablemate of Byron Flyer.

Form: 1742-40

(3)

Melting Dew²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: P J Dobbs| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 97

20/1

Won back-to-back races over 1m2f (Chelmsford and Sandown) around this time last year, and finished a close second (off this mark) to Sir Chauvelin over 1m6f at Glorious Goodwood; has lacked any real sparkle so far in 2019 (can often race lazily).

Form: 1120-99

(18)

Kelly's Dino^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: B A Curtis| T: K R Burke| OR: 97| D

14/1

7lb higher than when winning a competitive Class 2 handicap at Ascot (1m4f, good to firm) last July; off since contesting the Queen's Cup at Musselburgh (sixth) until a rock-solid effort in defeat to Island Brave at Ayr (beaten ¾L) a fortnight ago.

Form: 13-2862

(19)

Al Muffrih^h⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: D Tudhope| T: W J Haggas| OR: 97

7/2

Unexposed Sea The Stars gelding (260,000gns yearling); very heavily backed when toughing it out close home to take the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar (1m2f, good to firm) in May; 6lb higher; has doubtless been laid out for this contest; major player.

Form: 3/14-51

(10)

Koeman⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: J F Egan| T: M R Channon| OR: 96| D

16/1

9lb higher than when winning a Class 3 handicap by a neck at Ascot (1m4f) last July; lightly raced since with his Newmarket third to the subsequent Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes winner Baghdad (beaten ¾L) reading well; seventh of 16 in this race in 2018.

Form: 7414-32

(2)

Indianapolis¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Barry McHugh| T: J G Given| OR: 95

14/1

With Aidan O'Brien when winning a Dundalk maiden (1m) last July; 0-4 for James Given and has plenty to find with the likes of Island Brave and Kelly's Dino on Ayr form; 50-1 runner-up in a 1m4f Doncaster Conditions Stakes in March.

Form: 137-268

(13)

Eddystone Rock³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: Kieren Fox| T: J R Best| OR: 92| D

33/1

Has held his form incredibly well (2313) since winning over this trip at Leicester (good) in April; is very closely matched with Byron Flyer on the basis of their Epsom Derby Day clash (1m4f); has earned a crack at this valuable Class 2 handicap.

Form: 612313

(7)

Society Red⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: P Mathers| T: R A Fahey| OR: 91

50/1

Finished eighth of 14 in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar (1m2f) in May, so it's difficult to see how he can reverse placings with Al Muffrih; stamina doubtful beyond 1m2f; dead-heated for second with Lucius Tiberius on penultimate start (York).

Form: 8-02528

(11)

Everything For You^p²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: S A Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 91| C

33/1

Soft ground course winner (1m2f) last September, beating the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Frontispiece by 4½L; has run some solid races in defeat since, namely in Newmarket's Silver Cambridgeshire (second); is held by First Eleven on York form.

Form: 29-3295

Forecasts

First Eleven (7/2), Al Muffrih (7/2), Epaulement (10/1), Aquarium (10/1), Kelly's Dino (14/1), Lucius Tiberius (14/1), Indianapolis (14/1), Charles Kingsley (14/1), Bombyx (14/1), Koeman (16/1), Island Brave (18/1), Melting Dew (20/1), Restorer (20/1), Byron Flyer (25/1), Eddystone Rock (33/1), Everything For You (33/1), Society Red (50/1)

John Gosden sends his May York winner First Eleven into battle off top-weight of 9st 10lb. At first glance this appears to be asking an awful lot in an ultra-competitive handicap but given the exploits of some of the beaten horses since (namely Jumaira Prince and Proschema), a subsequent 5lb rise could be considered lenient. Further down the race card the likes of Koeman (seventh in this race in 2018) and the Ayr foes Island Brave and Kelly's Dino make each-way appeal. However, the selection is the unexposed Sea The Stars gelding AL MUFFRIH who appears to have been laid out for this race since landing a sizeable gamble in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar.