18:30 Leicester

Thursday 22 August 2019

All17:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Board Handicap

Off time: 18:31 | Winning time: 1m 44.53s

(10)

Stringybark Creek²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Laura Coughlan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 80| D

20/1

Successful over an extended 1m at Beverley (good) in June. Best effort in two subsequent starts came when seventh in a big field handicap over the same trip at Galway (good) last time out. Not ruled out.

Form: 282197

(3)

Pinnata^t⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: S M Levey| T: S C Williams| OR: 77| D

7/4

Progressive on the AW last winter, record a hat-trick at Chelmsford, Kempton and Newcastle over 7f/1m. Twice finished second at Newmarket over 1m since returning to action, latest in Class 3 handicap. Due to go up 3lb after this.

Form: 1-13922

(5)

Storm Ahead^b⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 77| D

10/1

In and out performer, scored from 6lb lower at Doncaster (1m, soft) in June and just denied at Pontefract this month (1m, good), but comes here off a lacklustre run on soft ground at Ripon. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 105428

(7)

Wild Hope¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 81| D

8/1

Winner twice already this season, including by a neck in a 1m handicap at Ayr (good to firm) last month. Not disgraced since at Windsor over this trip but career-best possibly required now.

Form: 319314

(9)

Mister Music²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 9-6| J: Elisha Whittington⁽⁷⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 74| D

33/1

Veteran, hasn't won on turf since 2015 and while he did pop up at Wolverhampton in an AW claimer early last month, he has since achieved very little in back-to-back turf handicaps at Ascot over a mile.

Form: 332188

(6)

Baalbek⁷³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Dane O'Neill| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 77

6/1

Lightly-raced Elusive Quality gelding with a decent pedigree. Has shown enough in three qualifying runs (including over C&D) to ensure a close betting check is merited now going handicapping. Open to plenty improvement.

Form: 9-24

(8)

Kannapolis¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 71

4/1

Winner over 1m2f at Beverley (good to firm) last season, his only success in 15 runs. Placed a further eight times, which ensures he's not getting much relief from the assessor.

Form: 7-83523

(4)

Dubai Acclaim¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Barry McHugh| T: R A Fahey| OR: 68| D

9/1

Dual AW winner is 0-10 on the turf, but has been second in two of this three runs (both on soft ground) at Doncaster and Nottingham over this sort of trip. Can run another good race but could prove vulnerable for win purposes.

Form: 540262

(1)

Venusta⁶⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: David Egan| T: M R Channon| OR: 72| DWS

16/1

Medicean filly, winner of soft-ground Windsor handicap in June (rated 69) before lesser Pontefract effort. Has undergone wind surgery since and holds multiple entries this weekend, interesting to see if market speaks in her favour.

Form: 46313

(2)

Eesha's Smile^p³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Gabriele Malune⁽³⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 66| D

10/1

Toronado filly, started her career with consecutive victories at Bath and Beverley over this sort of trip a year ago for Mark Johnston but has regressed since and yet to really show enough for new trainer to merit supporting.

Form: 66-5334

Forecasts

Pinnata (7/4), Kannapolis (4/1), Baalbek (6/1), Wild Hope (8/1), Dubai Acclaim (9/1), Eesha's Smile (10/1), Storm Ahead (10/1), Venusta (16/1), Stringybark Creek (20/1), Mister Music (33/1)

VENUSTA wasn't at her best last time but is just 3lb above her handicap debut-winning mark from Windsor in June. She's undergone a wind operation since and holds a few entries in the coming days, connections may be confident of further progress from the daughter of Medicean. Kannapolis has been very consistent but isn't getting much back from the handicapper as such, while Pinnata's two Newmarket runs of late put her firmly in the picture. Handicap debutante Baalbek is open to a deal of improvement and is greatly respected.