20:20 Chelmsford City

Saturday 28 September 2019

All17:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Racegoers Club Handicap

Off time: 20:21 | Winning time: 58.42s

(5)

Leo Minor^t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Marco Ghiani⁽⁷⁾| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 67| D

9/2

Drops a couple of grades after finishing seventh of 11 in a warm handicap at Sandown 10 days ago. This looks a lot easier but it's still a tough ask to give weight away all round after what has been a fruitless campaign so far.

Form: 357627

(11)

George Dryden^b1,t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: P J McDonald| T: G Boughey| OR: 67| D

16/1

Tries blinkers for the first time after a several below-par efforts. The gelding has dropped in the weights accordingly but still looks one to treat with caution after three tame performances of late.

Form: 042785

(9)

Precious Plum^p,h²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: David Egan| T: C Wallis| OR: 65| CD

10/1

C&D winner in March and May before two modest efforts on turf in the summer. Then had wind surgery before getting back on the right track with another 5f success at Wolverhampton last month. 5lb higher but still respected; a player.

Form: 151441

(10)

Arzaak^b¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: P Cosgrave| T: C Wallis| OR: 63| D

16/1

Aided by a strong pace when a good third of eight at Brighton earlier in the month and that marked a possible return to form. A stablemate of Precious Plum but on a very handy mark so still has to merit close scrutiny in the betting.

Form: 686U63

(4)

Snow Patch⁸⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Cieren Fallon⁽³⁾| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR: 62| D

6/1

Irish raider who has done the majority of his racing on the AW surface at Dundalk; she's been placed three times on that Polytrack surface, so has little to fear from the track layout here. Another to keep a close eye on in the betting market.

Form: 2-20983

(7)

Kath's Lustre^b³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: George Rooke⁽⁷⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 62| C

16/1

Has won here before but never over the minimum trip and was well held in all four previous runs in 2019; dropped to a career lowest mark as a result but yet to prove she's still got enough zest to merit support at this level. The betting can guide.

Form: 26-4567

(3)

Poeta Brasileiro^t⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen⁽⁵⁾| T: D H Brown| OR: 61| BF

6/4

Done well without winning since joining his current yard but notable the blinkers are left off today whereas the tongue-tie (tried for the first time when he finished a close third here eight days ago) remains in place. Good form chance.

Form: 955353

(2)

Roundabout Magic³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: N Mackay| T: S Dow| OR: 61| D

10/1

Only five of his 25 starts on the AW have taken place away from Lingfield but the gelding doesn't have too much to find to get seriously competitive in this company. He's on a very handy mark and no surprise to see him heavily involved.

Form: 2-85435

(1)

Red Stripes^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: Seamus Cronin⁽⁵⁾| T: L Williamson| OR: 61| CD

6/1

The form of his latest start has been franked and the gelding, who showed plenty of guts to win at Goodwood last month, has to enter the calculations; especially given that he's rated a 3lb better horse on the AW than on turf.

Form: 532133

(8)

Camino^p⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: Nicola Currie| T: Andi Brown| OR: 45| D

50/1

Set to race from 6lb out of the weights and already has recent form to reverse with Red Stripes; not hard to overlook on this occasion.

Form: 09-5504

Non-Runners

(6)

Catheadans Fury¹³

Weight: 9-1| Age: 5

T: M R Bosley J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Poeta Brasileiro (6/4), Leo Minor (9/2), Red Stripes (6/1), Snow Patch (6/1), Precious Plum (10/1), Roundabout Magic (10/1), Arzaak (16/1), Kath's Lustre (16/1), George Dryden (16/1), Catheadans Fury (16/1), Camino (50/1)

Another tight one to call as there's little to split between Precious Plum, Red Stripes, and POETA BRASILERIO; but the last named has got his act together well since joining his current yard and the fitting of a tongue tie, which brought forth a decent effort from the gelding last time, might just have been the missing ingredient to make him fire on all cylinder when racing away from his beloved Lingfield. Strong support in the betting for Snow Patch would also be dangerous to ignore; while Roundabout Magic and Arzaak complete what could have been an exhaustive shortlist for a very tight handicap.