DFS Handicap

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 1m 26.79s

(1)

Mutamaasik²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Jim Crowley| T: R Varian| OR: 97| D

5/6

No match for the talented Land Of Legends on debut at Kempton (7f) in June, but a perfect 3 from 3 since, comfortably taking a Class 4 handicap on turf debut at Newmarket (7f, good) 26 days ago; respected off a 10lb higher mark.

Form: 2111

(2)

Dutch Treat¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 90| D

6/1

Beaten just over 5L when fifth to Fleeting in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes here (1m, good) last September; finished down the field in the Fred Darling (Newbury) in April and again on return to action at Goodwood; risky.

Form: 1256-00

(5)

The Great Heir³³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Shane Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 86| CD

13/2

Narrow, shock 33-1 winner of the valuable 6½f sales race on this card 12-months ago; low-key this season until a much improved third-placed finish at Haydock (7f, heavy); the forecast conditions are ideal; is seemingly on the way back.

Form: 951-003

(6)

Archaeology⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Sean Davis⁽³⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 81| BF| C

3/1

Bought for 50,000gns last October (from Johnny Murtagh); promising early season, including when scoring here over 1m (good) before a brief lull in form; a 2lb rise is imminent following a keeping on second to Riviera Nights at Ascot (7f) last week.

Form: 214502

Non-Runners

(3)

I Could Do Better¹⁹

Weight: 9-4| Age: 3

T: Ian Williams J: Non Runner

(4)

Madkhal³¹⁴

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: S bin Suroor J: R L Moore

Forecasts

Mutamaasik (5/6), Archaeology (3/1), Madkhal (10/3), Dutch Treat (6/1), The Great Heir (13/2), I Could Do Better (10/1)

Mutamassik is on a roll but there's just the sneaking suspicion that it wasn't the strongest of Class 4 handicaps that he plundered on turf debut at Newmarket, and a subsequent 10lb rise in the weights does him precious few favours. Although fully respected there are certainly potential dangers lurking, including the returning (unexposed) Godolphin colt Madkhal and the lowly-weighted ARCHAEOLOGY. The selection is a course winner (1m) who was keeping on from off the pace when runner-up at Ascot last week. He is due a small weights rise (2lb) and his canny trainer also utilises the 3lb claim of Sean Davis in order to further boost his winning chance.