Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Handicap

Off time: 18:30 | Winning time: 1m 41.93s

(4)

Blake's Vision²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 75

10/1

Kept on gamely when narrowly winning a modest Southwell novice auction (7f) in November; runner-up (comfortably held) at Lingfield three weeks ago; should stay this 1m trip (dam was a 1m Listed-placed winner).

Form: 310-2

(3)

St Just²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: B A Curtis| T: W J Haggas| OR: 73| D

4/7

Golden Horn colt (40,000gns yearling); beat subsequent winner Island Hideaway when scoring readily on handicap debut at Lingfield (1m) on New Year's Eve; no obvious reason why a switch to Tapeta should inconvenience; good chance despite 6lb rise.

Form: 0751-

(6)

Xian Express^b¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: L Morris| T: M Appleby| OR: 71| D

7/1

Well placed by Mick Appleby to win a couple of weak races over varying distances in recent weeks, including at odds of 4-11f in a 1m seller at Chelmsford; time will tell exactly what is his optimum trip; will do well to land the hat-trick.

Form: 3292-11

(5)

Lyricist Voice^t⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: J Quinn| T: M Botti| OR: 69

7/1

Five-race maiden; more than a shade underwhelming since finishing strongly behind Overpriced Mixer at Kempton (7f) in October; easing marginally in the weights; a watching and waiting game to see what he can produce at a different track/surface.

Form: 52274-

(2)

Internationaltiger¹³⁸

16/1

Garswood colt; has had wind surgery since his last start at Thirsk (7f, good) in September; switches to the AW from what could be considered a reasonable handicap mark of 67; note a market move.

Form: 559-

(1)

Copperlight^p¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: A Mullen| T: B Haslam| OR: 64| CD

10/1

Made all at a steady pace when winning a Class 6 C&D nursery in December; operating at an equivalent level of form since (without progressing); it should be noted that the Haslam yard remain in rock-solid form.

Form: 96012-4

Forecasts

St Just (4/7), Lyricist Voice (7/1), Xian Express (7/1), Copperlight (10/1), Blake's Vision (10/1), Internationaltiger (16/1)

Not the type of race which makes a great deal of appeal for betting purposes, but the most likely winner is surely the Lingfield New Year's Eve scorer ST JUST. He beat a subsequent winner (Island Hideaway) when making his handicap debut on that occasion, therefore a 6lb rise in the weights isn't considered to be excessive. Both Blake's Vision and Xian Express have also been running reasonably well (the latter seeks a hat-trick), yet the suspicion is that their overall form lines aren't particularly strong. Of the others, Richard Fahey's Internationaltiger is noteworthy on AW/handicap debut post wind surgery.