20:00 Ffos Las

Monday 29 July 2019

All17:1017:4518:1518:5019:2520:0020:30

Black Dragon Hardware Handicap

Off time: 20:00 | Winning time: 2m 5.38s

(11)

Espresso Freddo²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Dane O'Neill| T: R Stephens| OR: 61

12/1

All three career wins have come on the AW (0-8 on turf). Had wind surgery earlier this year but two runs at Bath and Chepstow well short of required standard. Goes up in distance here.

Form: 546306

(6)

Renardeau^p³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Tom Marquand| T: A Stronge| OR: 66WS

8/1

Seven-race maiden, has shown promise at times, including close fifth of 14 at Windsor (1m, soft; 12-1) on penultimate start in first-time cheekpieces. Not suited tackling this trip at Chepstow since off dawdling pace. Can do better after wind op.

Form: 430-854

(3)

Craneur¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Charles Bishop| T: H J L Dunlop| OR: 65

2/1

Does best over this sort of trip, comes here off the back of a pleasing second at Salisbury (1m2f, firm) earlier in the month. 3lb higher now but should be in the mix again.

Form: 47-6592

(9)

Sea Of Marengo⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Keelan Baker⁽⁷⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 64| D

16/1

Beat one rival to win a Lingfield novice over this trip on the AW in March. Decent effort in Wolverhampton handicap in May off 65. Has changed hands since and worth a look now debuting on turf.

Form: 866-15

(8)

Arrowzone¹⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: S Donohoe| T: Katy Price| OR: 54

25/1

Experienced eight-year-old, hasn't won on turf since 2016 (mostly campaigned on AW since). On a fair mark starting out for new trainer (won from 5lb higher in January at Wolverhampton) and so needs to be monitored.

Form: 2-31506

(10)

Queen's Soldier²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 62| BF

11/8

Maiden of eight races now but has made the frame on his last four turf starts over 1m2f-1m4f. Runner-up at Epsom latest, never able to threaten winner after hold-up ride. Has to enter calculations with trainer/jockey in good form.

Form: 8-53332

(4)

Twpsyn^b⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: J F Egan| T: P D Evans| OR: 59| D

9/2

Winner in Guernsey in May but remains a maiden of 10 races on these shores. Was running a promising race at Windsor (1m3½f, good to firm; 33-1) last week when clipped heels and fell. Must prove he's over that experience.

Form: 70814F

(2)

Tally's Son^b¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Rob Hornby| T: G Harris| OR: 50

28/1

Just 1-20, promising effort over a mile at Windsor on penultimate start in finishing luckless third in first-time blinkers (hampered late on), but poor effort at Chepstow since and has previously failed to see this trip out.

Form: 66-6637

(7)

Mystical Jadeite³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Rossa Ryan| T: G Harris| OR: 58

33/1

Five-race maiden, he showed some minor promise in novice events at Windsor over this trip in May, hasn't done much in two handicaps at Lingfield (7½f) and Chepstow (1m) since but remains early days and back up in trip may help.

Form: 0-9756

Non-Runners

(1)

Essenaitch⁵¹

Weight: 9-13| Age: 6

T: P D Evans J: Katherine Begley

(5)

Frantical³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 7

T: A W Carroll J: Megan Nicholls

Forecasts

Queen's Soldier (11/8), Craneur (2/1), Twpsyn (9/2), Essenaitch (6/1), Frantical (7/1), Renardeau (8/1), Espresso Freddo (12/1), Sea Of Marengo (16/1), Arrowzone (25/1), Tally's Son (28/1), Mystical Jadeite (33/1)

This distance suits Craneur, as he showed when chasing home an improving rival at Salisbury recently, and he rates a key player if replicating that effort now. Queen's Soldier continues to seek a first win and did fairly well from the rear to be second at Epsom last time but ESSENAITCH has posted a couple of good efforts lately and has been given a decent chance by the assessor if he can keep his powder dry for the finish. Renardeau has undergone wind surgery and could yet do better at this distance as he seeks a breakthrough win.