Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Fillies' Handicap

Off time: 17:16 | Winning time: 2m 50.27s

(5)

Baladio¹¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: A Mullen| T: J Mackie| OR: 71

8/1

Eased in the weights (some 4lb or so) since allocated her opening handicap mark; nearest at the finish (fourth of 11 to Cuillin) on her first attempt over this trip at Wolverhampton in November; off since (115 days).

Form: 42664-

(4)

Lady Camelot¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Nick Barratt-Atkin⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 70

25/1

Somewhat of a disappointment since winning a three-runner maiden hurdle at Market Rasen (2m4½f, good) last March; finished last of seven to Jus Pires here (1m2f) 12 days ago; this represents an ease in grade (into a Cl 5); stablemate of Ravenscar.

Form: 22/87-57

(6)

Merry Vale^p²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 69

2/1

Made a promising debut at Goodwood (1m2f, good to soft) last June, but it's perfectly fair to say that she hasn't exactly excelled since; switches to handicapping off a realistic mark (69), albeit she must definitively prove that she stays 1m4f.

Form: 233-4

(1)

Greengage^h⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Hart| T: T Davidson| OR: 67| CD

5/4

Has risen through the ranks (from lowly origins) since breaking her duck for Tristan Davidson at Wolverhampton (1m1½f) last October; now rated 3lb higher than when beating Sulafaat by ¾L over C&D early in the New Year; player.

Form: 7112-16

(2)

Ravenscar¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: B A Curtis| T: P A Kirby| OR: 67

11/2

With Grant Tuer when beaten a head by Aegeus in a 1m median auction maiden here in October 2019; 0-3 over hurdles for Phil Kirby, and finished just in front of stablemate Lady Camelot on return to the Flat latest.

Form: 252-6

(3)

Flood Defence¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Jamie Gormley| T: I Jardine| OR: 63

10/1

Made the frame over hurdles at Musselburgh (33-1) 12 days ago; returns to Flat racing for the first time in 5-6 months; sits 3lb higher than when scoring on heavy ground at Carlisle (1m3f) last August; 0-12 on the AW.

Form: 231770-

Forecasts

Greengage (5/4), Merry Vale (2/1), Ravenscar (11/2), Baladio (8/1), Flood Defence (10/1), Lady Camelot (25/1)

Truthfully this won't take a great deal of winning. John Gosden's Merry Vale will undoubtedly figure prominently in the market on her handicap debut, and could well win doing handsprings against such opponents. However, she's clearly well down the pecking order in that particular yard and with some doubts about her stamina reserves is worth opposing at the projected cramped odds. In the context of this race, Flood Defence boasts some reasonable historic turf form (0-12 on the AW) but the safer option on Tapeta is probably the improving C&D winner GREENGAGE. Her form figures on the AW since October 2019 read 11216.