Firestone Rubbercover Handicap

Off time: 19:55 | Winning time: 1m 41.88s

(2)

Mr Top Hat¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: David Egan| T: P D Evans| OR: 90

7/2

Likable sort who favour soft ground as he showed when winning in the rain over 1m2½f at Chester on soft back in May. Twice third since over 1m2f and 1m and will again be competitive here with his chance greatly enhanced by any rain.

Form: 255133

(5)

Enigmatic²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Darragh Keenan⁽⁵⁾| T: A Bailey| OR: 89| D

11/4

Impressive when winning a 20-runner handicap at Ascot on return in May but hasn't been as effective from his revised handicap mark subsequently. Third at Pontefract latest however hinted at a revival and has possibilities again here.

Form: 0-14553

(3)

Humble Gratitude^p¹²^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Cieren Fallon⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 78| D

5/1

Back to winning ways at Chester latest (7½f, good to soft) where he battled hard to get up close home. Under 5lb penalty he will need a career best but fact he won off 81 last season shows he's not much to find.

Form: 626851

(1)

Siglo Six^h²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: H Palmer| OR: 84

3/1

Second over 1m and 7f in second and third starts at Thirsk before beating a consistent sort in a Doncaster maiden last time out over 7f. Still lightly raced and unexposed and could be the answer in an otherwise tricky puzzle.

Form: 7221

(4)

Pinnata^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: J P Spencer| T: S C Williams| OR: 77| D

10/3

Progressive sort this winter when completing a four-timer, below form at Wolverhampton in March but after a break he ran excellently to finish second over C&D latest and he makes plenty of appeal off his 17lb lower turf rating.

Form: 11-1392

Non-Runners

(6)

Balgair²¹

Weight: 9-8| Age: 5

T: Tom Clover J: L Morris

Forecasts

Enigmatic (11/4), Siglo Six (3/1), Pinnata (10/3), Mr Top Hat (7/2), Humble Gratitude (5/1), Balgair (8/1)

A chance is taken on Stuart Williams' runner PINNATA who made rapid headway in the winter on AW surfaces and his C&D second latest after four and a half months off suggested that he can take full advantage of his considerably lower turf mark now. Unexposed rival Siglo Six has to be respected with plenty of scope for further progress on handicap debut. Also not to be underestimated in an open contest is Chester winner Humble Gratitude under his 5lb penalty.