13:50 Leicester

Tuesday 8 October 2019

All13:5014:2014:5515:2516:0016:3517:0517:35

Brock Hill Badger Handicap

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 2m 45.18s

(5)

Pour Me A Drink¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 83

9/4

Soft ground winner (1m) at Haydock in April, when 8lb lower. Sees out 1m3f, and ran well last time over 1m2f when a close second at Newbury. Nudged up 5lb for that career best, but still improving and may find more for the step up to 1m4f.

Form: 152562

(8)

Fantastic Blue¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: J Mitchell| T: I Mohammed & J Santos| OR: 82| BF| CD

12/1

C&D winner on fast ground last month, when 3lb lower. Well held from today's mark last time at Newbury (first-time cheekpieces). Headgear removed today. Has run well on soft, and far from exposed, so can't rule him out.

Form: 3-62115

(9)

Baltic Song⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 81| BF| D

11/1

AW winner over this trip at Lingfield in February. Has bettered that in both subsequent starts, despite defeats. Looks like there may still be some room for manoeuvre from this mark, and drops back from 2m here for turf debut on testing ground.

Form: 8-134

(2)

Proton²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: P Mulrennan| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 79

15/2

Soft ground maiden win at Carlisle (1m1f) came on his second start (debut for this trainer). Bettered that, also on soft, on his handicap debut at Doncaster. Weakened over 1m4½f last time, but worth another try and looks on a workable mark.

Form: 5-1324

(6)

Earl Of Harrow⁵⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: M R Channon| OR: 76| D

12/1

Arrives in cracking form after three wins from his last four. Up 3lb for the latest of those in a 0-75 at Lingfield (1m5f, good) in August. Has won on good to soft, but has a little to prove on softer. Up in grade, but entitled to plenty of respect.

Form: 6-51151

(1)

Tigerskin^b,t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Harry Bentley| T: R M Beckett| OR: 74| BF| D

8/1

Yet to race on ground slower than good to soft, but did win on that ground at Ffos Las (1m4f) in August. Easily followed up back there (1m6f, good) next time. Unlucky at the start last time, so put a line through that. Looks progressive. Claims.

Form: 97011P

(7)

Group Stage⁹²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: A King| OR: 71| BF

5/1

0-6 so far. Has shown that he handles soft ground and gets this trip, but looking more exposed already than several in this line-up, and more needed.

Form: 740-226

(4)

Tavus¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽⁵⁾| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 71| D

4/1

Dual good ground winner (1m4f/1m6f) in August, the latter when 6lb lower. Ran well at Chelmsford (1m6f, AW) last time, and nudged up another 1lb for that. Appeared to handle soft on only try, and not written off with 5lb claimed.

Form: 933112

Non-Runners

(3)

Vindolanda¹¹

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: C Hills J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Pour Me A Drink (9/4), Tavus (4/1), Group Stage (5/1), Vindolanda (7/1), Proton (15/2), Tigerskin (8/1), Baltic Song (11/1), Earl Of Harrow (12/1), Fantastic Blue (12/1)

A very competitive start to the card. Proton has a little to prove over this far, but looks on a workable mark and could go close. Tigerskin looks progressive and is another who is feared, while Pour Me A Drink, Baltic Song and Fantastic Blue can all have cases made. However, VINDOLANDA is also very much going the right way, is proven on heavy ground, and is taken to complete a hat-trick.