13:10 Newmarket

Friday 26 June 2020

All13:1013:4014:1014:4515:1515:4516:2016:50

Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap

Off time: 13:12 | Winning time: 59.48s

(13)

Han Solo Berger²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: George Wood| T: C F Wall| OR: 80| CD

8/1

Winner over 5f on July Course here in August, and back to winning ways on return at Kempton. Up in the weights, but his strike-rate means he's one to take seriously.

Form: 81010-1

(12)

Mercenary Rose^b,t²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: David Egan| T: P & O Cole| OR: 80| D

11/1

Improved when blinkered for the first time when scoring at Kempton in October, and back to form when third of 10 to Benny And The Jets there last time. Blinkers back on after going without on recent starts, and she could go well as a result.

Form: 40178-3

(6)

Thrilla In Manila¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Hollie Doyle| T: R Spencer| OR: 80

9/2

Yet to add to Newbury debut success, but not discredited when fifth of 12 to Atalanta's Boy on return/handicap debut at Chelmsford earlier in the month. Unexposed, and may yet take the step up required to defy his mark.

Form: 1/02-5

(9)

Chitra¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R Kingscote| T: D & C Kubler| OR: 78| D

12/1

Won four times last year, and looked to be running into form when third of 10 to Peggie Sue at Chepstow last time. Should improve on that, and in the mix if she does.

Form: 11-5773

(5)

Line Of Reason¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-7| J: P J McDonald| T: P T Midgley| OR: 78| D

6/1

Not quite the force of old, but still capable, and needed run when 5¼L seventh of 12 to Magical Spirit at Beverley on his return. Place claims if building as expected on that.

Form: 76327-7

(8)

Secretinthepark^b²¹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 9-7| J: J Garritty| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 78| D

25/1

Shock winner at York in July, and again on the mark at Newcastle in October. Likely to need this run after a break, but worth noting yard had a 66/1 winner on Wednesday.

Form: 300190-

(3)

Colonel Frank⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Charles Bishop| T: M Quinn| OR: 78| BF| C| D

4/1

Winner here (6f) and at Nottingham last season, and he stepped up on his reappearance effort when a neck second of 7 to Dark Defender here last time. Drops in trip, but has speed to compensate, and shortlisted.

Form: 1481-42

(4)

Grisons¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Watson| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 77| D

14/1

Progressive sort on turf/Polytrack for Clive Cox last year, and took form up another notch when scoring at Lingfield last time by a neck from King Robert. No reason why he won't take that form forward.

Form: 1235-71

(2)

Enthaar^p,t¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: S De Sousa| T: S C Williams| OR: 77| D

16/1

Won at Kempton in January, and looked a bit rusty after a break when seventh of 12 to Atalanta's Boy at Chelmsford last time. Work to do on that form, but no surprise to see him do better on the back of that outing.

Form: 145-167

(11)

Pink Flamingo²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Rhys Clutterbuck⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Attwater| OR: 75| D

16/1

Belatedly back to the mark off which she won at Brighton last summer, so possible she will be revived, although didn't show enough at Chepstow recently to be of particular interest.

Form: 22-0757

(1)

Erissimus Maximus^b²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Callum Shepherd| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 74| D

14/1

Won at Windsor in May 2019 for Amy Murphy, and flashes of form for new yard, but was again below form last time, and others are more reliable.

Form: 79840-8

(7)

Excellent George^t¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Bentley| T: S C Williams| OR: 73| CD

16/1

Matched pick of this year's efforts when 1½L third of 12 to Atalanta's Boy at Chelmsford last time. Won off 11lb higher over C&D in 2018, and weighted to get involved.

Form: 76-8323

Result Amended

Han Solo Berger - Original Position 7th. Amended Position 6th.

Mercenary Rose - Original Position 9th. Amended Position 8th.

Thrilla In Manila - Original Position 10th. Amended Position 9th.

Chitra - Original Position 6th. Amended Position 5th.

Colonel Frank - Original Position 5th. Amended Position 4th.

Grisons - Original Position 12th. Amended Position 11th.

Enthaar - Original Position 4th. Amended Position 12th.

Erissimus Maximus - Original Position 8th. Amended Position 7th.

Excellent George - Original Position 11th. Amended Position 10th.

Non-Runners

(10)

Machree¹⁹⁶

Weight: 9-5| Age: 5

T: D Carroll J: C J MacRedmond

Forecasts

Colonel Frank (4/1), Thrilla In Manila (9/2), Line Of Reason (6/1), Han Solo Berger (8/1), Mercenary Rose (11/1), Chitra (12/1), Erissimus Maximus (14/1), Grisons (14/1), Pink Flamingo (16/1), Excellent George (16/1), Enthaar (16/1), Machree (16/1), Secretinthepark (25/1)

There's no reason to think that GRISONS can't translate his recent improvement on AW back to this surface, and he makes plenty of appeal. Colonel Frank wasn't beaten far here last time, and can give it another good go with conditions to suit, while Mercenary Rose is interesting with blinkers refitted, having won in the headgear at Kempton in the autumn.