19:00 Newmarket

Friday 2 August 2019

All17:2017:5018:2519:0019:3020:0020:30

32Red Handicap

Off time: 19:02 | Winning time: 2m 33.6s

(8)

Mandarin¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: A Kirby| T: Ian Williams| OR: 86

4/5

Deservedly gained second career score at Windsor over 1m2f latest after two good seconds beforehand and won well by 3L. Upped 5lb by the handicapper and tackles 1m4f for the first time but has to be respected.

Form: 6-05221

(5)

Unit of Assessment^t,v²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: David Egan| T: W J Knight| OR: 81| D

8/1

Won for the first time on turf at Goodwood (1m4f) two starts back. Could only finish seventh of 10 on his latest run at Sandown (1m6f). Remains off the same mark but this drop down in trip should suit him better. Each-way chance.

Form: 904417

(11)

Thaqaffa^h²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: George Wood| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 79| D

25/1

Over two years since his last turf win but had been running mostly quite well this summer before switched to hurdling the last twice where again he acquitted himself well enough. Place possibilities.

Form: 380263

(9)

Past Master¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Dane O'Neill| T: H Candy| OR: 78| D

4/1

Consistent form in the second half of last season would look good here but three 2019 efforts been basically disappointing. Handicap sliding but needs to show a deal more.

Form: 212-053

(7)

Done Deal¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 75

7/1

Debut winner over 1m at Chelmsford last July but struggled in the main since. Reportedly didn't handle the track at Bath latest over 1m6f. Suspicion he has more to give than we've yet seen but patience running out.

Form: 1664-54

(12)

Battle Of Marathon²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: Cieren Fallon⁽⁵⁾| T: J Ryan| OR: 73

8/1

Good second at Yarmouth latest but is 2-44 overall and his lone turf win came in a 6f two-year-old maiden back in 2014. Others then more compelling.

Form: 767452

(1)

Galactic Spirit³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Gabriele Malune⁽³⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 72

25/1

May have not lasted 2m when soundly beaten on stable bow at Kempton, and again had excuses after a slow start at Newbury on latest start when a long way behind Frontispiece. Still however makes little overall appeal.

Form: 4-55708

Non-Runners

(6)

Dragons Voice⁴⁵

Weight: 9-8| Age: 5

T: D Menuisier J: R Havlin

(2)

Frontispiece³⁸

Weight: 9-7| Age: 5

T: Mrs A J Perrett J: K Shoemark

(10)

Sputnik Planum¹³

Weight: 9-6| Age: 5

T: M Appleby J: Alistair Rawlinson

(3)

Great Hall⁴¹

Weight: 9-2| Age: 9

T: M Quinn J: T P Queally

(4)

Rake's Progress³⁷

Weight: 8-12| Age: 5

T: H Main J: Oisin Murphy

Forecasts

Mandarin (4/5), Past Master (4/1), Dragons Voice (5/1), Frontispiece (6/1), Done Deal (7/1), Battle Of Marathon (8/1), Unit of Assessment (8/1), Sputnik Planum (8/1), Rake's Progress (14/1), Galactic Spirit (25/1), Thaqaffa (25/1), Great Hall (25/1)

Recent winners MANDARIN and Frontispiece make the most appeal here but with the latter winning by the narrowest of margins it is the top-weight who gets the nod with 1m4f expected to suit well based on the strong finish displayed at Windsor. The prolific Dragons Voice is always one to respect especially after back-to-back good efforts since upped to this trip.