15:40 Ascot

Saturday 5 October 2019

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

John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 15:44 | Winning time: 1m 15.63s

(10)

Keystroke^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: A Kirby| T: S C Williams| OR: 108| D

12/1

Shock Group 3 winner earlier in the year when ignored by the market over 6f at Newmarket; been rather difficult to place since but kept to Group company. 5f proved too short last time; needs 6f and a strongly-run contest, work to do at the weights.

Form: 810364

(6)

Cape Byron⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 113| CD

13/8

Three-time winner here (once over C&D), already picked up two races at this venue so far (two top-class handicaps) this year. Showed himself well capable of making his mark in this company at York last time; big player on soft ground at 6f.

Form: 27-1103

(7)

Donjuan Triumphant⁴⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: S De Sousa| T: A M Balding| OR: 107| D

9/2

Smart horse on his day although he's not really put everything together this year (ran poorly last time; pulled too hard). Ought to be able to make his mark if he put things together but that's far from a given; others persuade more.

Form: 1-62486

(2)

Good Effort^p1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: I Mohammed| OR: 97| D

25/1

Needed and appreciated the ease in grade when scoring in a Newmarket handicap back in August, the drop to 6f looking to suit. Shaped well enough since, not disgraced in the Ayr Gold Cup last time; cheekpieces now applied, tough examination.

Form: 090180

(4)

Green Power²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: H Crouch| T: J Gallagher| OR: 98| CD

33/1

Dual handicap winner over 5f/6f on top of the ground at Goodwood over the summer but found himself well held in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last time (never landed a blow). C&D winner but hard to see him making a mark in this grade.

Form: 075110

(5)

Raucous^p,t⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 106| D

16/1

Smart sort and a dual 6f winner this term his latest win coming in Listed company at Newmarket (his first run outside of handicaps in more than two years). Looks as good as ever (also ran well in Stewards Cup, strong form); slight doubt about the gro

Form: 264131

(9)

Tabdeed⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Dane O'Neill| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 103| CD

2/1

Only blemish on an otherwise untainted five-race CV came in last year's Jersey Stakes over 7f. Not be easy to train, off 10 months before reappearing this year with a smart win; C&D winner, yet to race on soft ground; hard to ignore even up in grade.

Form: 1/101-1

(1)

Thrilla In Manila³⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: L Morris| T: R Spencer| D

33/1

Belied his 25-1 odds to win on his only start to date a backend extended 6f maiden at Newbury with ease in the ground. Despite that being a fairly useful effort he returns after a significant absence in a race that will really test his mettle.

Form: 1-

(8)

Richenza⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 94| D

40/1

Landed a decent 0-90 6f handicap at Goodwood in soft ground in June and matched that form in Listed company soon after, again on soft ground. Ran as if amiss when beating just a couple home at Ripon when last seen; faces a tough test on return.

Form: 37-9130

(3)

Rock On Baileys^b²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Nicola Currie| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 99| D

66/1

Useful performer but without a win this year despite performing well in a Newmarket Listed race over 6f in August (didn't have the best track position). Still looked in form last time, again in Listed company, but given a stiff examination here.

Form: 002235

Forecasts

Cape Byron (13/8), Tabdeed (2/1), Donjuan Triumphant (9/2), Keystroke (12/1), Raucous (16/1), Good Effort (25/1), Green Power (33/1), Thrilla In Manila (33/1), Richenza (40/1), Rock On Baileys (66/1)

A few of these are tilting at windmills and given the prevailing conditions a shock can’t be ruled out especially at the end of a long season. Overall the race does lack depth and with CAPE BYRON having proved himself a more than capable operator at this venue a fourth course victory and a third this year might not be far away; conditions should prove no problem. Tabdeed remains open to further improvement but this does require more and he has to prove himself on ground this testing. Raucous and Rock On Baileys are sound enough performers but if there were to be a shock then Keystroke can’t be ruled out back over 6f.