16:40 Ascot

Saturday 19 October 2019

All13:3514:1014:4515:2016:0016:40

Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By Qipco) (Str)

Off time: 16:43 | Winning time: 1m 45.80s

(20)

Lord North²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 110| D

3/1

Won the Cambridgeshire with an eye-catching amount in hand at Newmarket last time out and while he's been put up 12lb for that, there could well be more to come on just his sixth career start. Won on soft ground on his debut.

Form: 1-1821

(16)

Flaming Spear⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Joey Haynes| T: D K Ivory| OR: 107| D

28/1

Listed winner who has won a couple of valuable handicaps but he's been well below his best in two starts this year. Hasn't shown his best form at this venue.

Form: 1501-57

(19)

Kynren¹⁴^{(ex 6)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 101| BF| C| D

6/1

Deservedly got his head back in front when very well backed here last time out. 6lb penalty to carry but he's a consistent sort who usually runs his race and can't be ruled out; soft ground in his favour.

Form: 225321

(23)

Arctic Sound¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 108

40/1

Group 3 winner at Newmarket last year and going okay in defeat so far this campaign but looks vulnerable from this sort of handicap mark.

Form: 611-522

(2)

Kick On⁶⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 108| D

11/1

Group 3 winner at Salisbury last time when only narrowly holding on but hard to imagine he's well-handicapped from this sort of mark and not the most straightforward sort.

Form: 6-17901

(21)

Escobar^t¹⁴

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

16/1

Talented sort who is capable from this sort of handicap mark, as seen when third of 17 here two weeks ago. However, all his very best form is on good to firm ground.

Form: 213543

(4)

Mitchum Swagger¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 105| BF| D

28/1

Bolted up in Listed company at Newmarket in November last year but hasn't been in the same sort of form so far this campaign.

Form: 2-54503

(3)

Commander Cole²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Cieren Fallon⁽³⁾| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 102

28/1

More effective on AW than turf. Ran well behind a smart sort at Chelmsford last time but unlikely he can show his best on this sort of ground.

Form: 5147-32

(22)

Pogo⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K Shoemark| T: C Hills| OR: 104| D

66/1

Has won two competitive handicaps this year and only beaten 3L last time out. Vulnerable to better handicapped sorts though.

Form: 170910

(7)

Glen Shiel²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Hollie Doyle| T: A Watson| OR: 100| D

18/1

All his wins in France have come in testing conditions and ran well when runner-up on heavy ground at Goodwood last time out. Could yet have more to come for these connections.

Form: 2752-52

(1)

Clon Coulis^h²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: J P Spencer| T: T D Barron| OR: 99| CD

13/2

Dual Listed winner including a C&D success. Went desperately close when runner-up in the Royal Hunt Cup in June and respected from the same mark here.

Form: 925080

(14)

Coolagh Forest⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 96| D

11/1

Has an impressive strike-rate of five wins from 11 starts and arrives bidding for a hat-trick after an impressive York success last time. Appreciates cut in the ground and may be capable of better yet.

Form: 169811

(12)

Amedeo Modigliani^h,t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: D O'Brien| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 98| D

7/1

Maiden winner at Galway and has held his form well in Listed company subsequently without winning. Met some trouble in running and could be well-handicapped from this sort of mark.

Form: 31/344

(6)

Chiefofchiefs^t1,v1⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: R Kingscote| T: C Fellowes| OR: 98| D

50/1

Progressive last season but the handicapper has been slow to relent and he's been well beaten on his most recent two starts. First-time visor and tongue-tie go on.

Form: 145047

(10)

So Beloved¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 8-13| J: G Mosse| T: D O'Meara| OR: 98| D

66/1

Hasn't won since a Listed success back in 2016 and in and out of form so far this campaign. Acts on soft ground but well beaten last time and obviously comes with risks attached.

Form: 970730

(11)

Biometric⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Harry Bentley| T: R M Beckett| OR: 101| CD

8/1

Caused an upset when winning the C&D Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting. Hasn't backed that up from his revised mark in two starts since though and unproven on ground this soft.

Form: 112185

(15)

Waarif⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 97| D

18/1

Eight wins from 39 starts and got his head back in front when getting the better of Kynren at Ayr two runs back (form franked since). Well beaten in two starts here but acts on soft ground and can't be entirely ruled out.

Form: 908415

(13)

Dark Vision^v⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: W Buick| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 100

16/1

Very impressive Group 2 winner at Goodwood last year but hasn't won since and yet to place in nine turf starts so far this season; others preferred.

Form: 406563

(17)

Saltonstall^p,t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Jason Watson| T: A McGuinness| OR: 97| D

50/1

Put in a big effort when third in a valuable handicap at the Curragh last month. Didn't back that up last time but has won from higher handicap marks than this; interesting contender.

Form: 418638

(5)

Circus Couture⁹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-11| J: J F Egan| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 96| D

66/1

Returns from an absence having disappointed on his last couple of starts. Has run well here, notably when 100/1 third in the 2018 Royal Hunt Cup but he's not the most consistent sort.

Form: 087109

Non-Runners

(9)

Dunkirk Harbour⁷

Weight: 9-5| Age: 3

T: A P O'Brien J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Lord North (3/1), Kynren (6/1), Clon Coulis (13/2), Amedeo Modigliani (7/1), Biometric (8/1), Coolagh Forest (11/1), Kick On (11/1), Escobar (16/1), Dark Vision (16/1), Dunkirk Harbour (16/1), Glen Shiel (18/1), Waarif (18/1), Mitchum Swagger (28/1), Flaming Spear (28/1), Commander Cole (28/1), Arctic Sound (40/1), Chiefofchiefs (50/1), Saltonstall (50/1), So Beloved (66/1), Pogo (66/1), Circus Couture (66/1)

A tricky finale to the card but COOLAGH FOREST is the tentative selection in his bid for a hat-trick having won impressively on soft ground last time out and he only has a 6lb penalty to carry for that. Amedeo Modigliani and Lord North are both unexposed sorts who should have more to give while Clon Coulis usually saves her best for this venue.