15:10 Ascot

Saturday 5 October 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4016:1516:50

bet365 Challenge Cup (Heritage Handicap)

Off time: 15:10 | Winning time: 1m 28.54s

(11)

Raising Sand²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Nicola Currie| T: J A Osborne| OR: 109| CD

7/1

Has a long history of success here (suited by big-field, strongly-run handicap) underlining that point with his fourth course win in July off a 6lb lower mark. Ran well enough in a 1m Group 3 last time; more at home back in this scenario.

Form: 16-4313

(2)

Silver Line¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Callum Shepherd| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 106

25/1

Took a while to add to his sole 2yo success when scoring on his comeback run this year over 1m at Nottingham, relishing the soft conditions. Solid performances in two starts since but appears to have little scope off a hefty mark such as this.

Form: 095-153

(16)

Qaysar²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: P J Dobbs| T: R Hannon| OR: 105| D

20/1

Thrived of late in races (mainly handicaps) at up to 1m with just one blip in his last five starts off ever-increasing marks. Nudged up another 1lb for beating two rivals at Doncaster last time; life getting tougher but hard to totally write off.

Form: 211611

(6)

Escobar^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: D O'Meara| OR: 105| D

14/1

Always seems to run his race coming clear with a subsequent winner when scoring at York in July and being far from disgraced in top-class handicaps since then including over C&D last time. Mark requires more but hard to ignore his chance.

Form: 021354

(3)

Bedouin's Story^p²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: H Crouch| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 103| D

9/1

Form looks a little uneven this year although first-time cheekpieces in optimum conditions (7f, soft) at York produced a winning performance. Quirks surfaced again last time on the AW despite finishing second; needs to hold things together again.

Form: 662512

(5)

Summerghand¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 102

16/1

Rarely far away in top-class handicaps such as this and has attended most of these gigs so far this year and deserves to win one. More used to 6f (fourth in Ayr Gold Cup last time), first try at 7f, won't be far away if he stays this distance.

Form: 253424

(17)

Kynren¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 101| BF| D

11/4

Always gives his running in this sort of event but generally finds one too good despite having a sound attitude. Typical effort at Ayr last time when slightly down in grade; overall record to be admired but remains frustrating for supporters.

Form: 5-22532

(18)

So Beloved²²

Age: 9| Weight: 8-13| J: Angus Villiers⁽⁷⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 98| D

14/1

Capable of running well in a contest such as this and the jockey booking takes the eye (good young claimer) but he does have a very long losing streak to overcome. Likely to come up short again having spurned an easier opportunity last time.

Form: 297073

(10)

Keyser Soze³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: L Morris| T: R Spencer| OR: 98| D

33/1

Lost his chance at the start when returned to the AW last time (very slow away) and the suspicion remains that despite his mishap he's a better sort in that sphere. Has come up short before in similar turf tests, more of the same expected.

Form: 115600

(15)

Cold Stare^t⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: R P Downey| T: D O'Meara| OR: 97| D

33/1

Produced a career-best (first-time tongue-tie) when taking a 6f Haydock race in heavy conditions prior to a wind op. Both efforts since have been respectable with the way he ran last time suggesting this 7f was worth a try, not without hope.

Form: 2-90104

(8)

Ripp Orf^t²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: G Mosse| T: D R C Elsworth| OR: 96| BF| CD

7/1

Four-time winner in 2018 with two of those victories coming over C&D, he also went close in this (second off 1lb higher). Campaigned in much the same way this year without being able to win; relishes this type of scenario; much respected back here.

Form: 506422

(1)

Remarkable^b⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Rossa Ryan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 96| CD

33/1

Form this year can only be called regressive and looks far from reproducing his form of old. C&D winner late last year off an 11lb higher mark when with John Gosden shows you what he was capable of; unlikely to reproduce that level now though.

Form: 1/4P447

(7)

Battered⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: S De Sousa| T: R M Beckett| OR: 96| D

12/1

Smart sort in the past when with William Haggas; seemingly just finding his feet again after a long absence with this yard but has shown of late that plenty of ability remains. Will need a strong pace but looks fresher than most; leading contender.

Form: 22/4554

(13)

Casanova²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 97

6/1

Progressive sort having won his last two including on handicap debut last time out over 1m at Sandown off a 6lb lower mark. All the pieces of the jigsaw look to have fallen into place with him now but this will prove a tougher test again.

Form: 4-2511

(12)

Lake Volta²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 94| D

20/1

Finished sixth in this last year but given his form this year will do well to better or even equal that performance. Typically for the yard kept on the go for much of the year but does look to have gone off the boil for now.

Form: 978800

(9)

Greenside⁹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-9| J: Marco Ghiani⁽⁷⁾| T: H Candy| OR: 94

14/1

Confirmed some early season promise when given a chance by the handicapper to win at Windsor having shaped well in a prior event at Newbury (well backed). Consistent thereafter off higher marks, may be some ground concerns (non-runner on Friday).

Form: 4-41345

(14)

Raydiance¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Joey Haynes| T: K R Burke| OR: 92| BF| CD

40/1

Regained the winning thread when winning at Redcar over 7f in June and has been largely consistent in defeat since. Ran poorly over C&D on Friday when partnered by a leading amateur, started favourite, struggled in the conditions; hard to recommend.

Form: 343535

Non-Runners

(4)

Makzeem⁷⁰

Weight: 9-5| Age: 6

T: H & R Charlton J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Kynren (11/4), Casanova (6/1), Ripp Orf (7/1), Raising Sand (7/1), Bedouin's Story (9/1), Battered (12/1), Greenside (14/1), Escobar (14/1), So Beloved (14/1), Summerghand (16/1), Makzeem (16/1), Qaysar (20/1), Lake Volta (20/1), Silver Line (25/1), Cold Stare (33/1), Keyser Soze (33/1), Remarkable (33/1), Raydiance (40/1)

Not an easy event to sort out with last years first and second Raising Sand and Ripp Orf returning to meet again with the former having had the better season and likely to go well again even off a 12lb higher mark; his affinity for this track well known. Casanova is a handicapper on the up although last time out winners don’t have a great record in the race. The contest has also attracted some of the usual suspects like Escobar, Kynren and Summerghand all of whom deserve to be on the premises. BATTERED looks just the type for a race like this, he arrives here lightly-raced off a good mark and won’t mind the ground. Cold Stare makes most appeal of those at 25-1 plus.