16:30 Newbury

Saturday 18 July 2020

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3017:00

Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 16:34 | Winning time: 1m 37.51s

(1)

Dargel¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 77| D

12/1

Won two 1m handicaps last year back-to-back after a wind op; failed to win again but ran consistently well off higher marks to gain four placed efforts. Poor on AW return (had another wind op), slight ease in grade may help regain some form.

Form: 12333-0

(6)

Sir Plato^v¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: S De Sousa| T: B R Millman| OR: 76| D

4/1

Back to form before his 9L plus demolition of 0-60 field at Chepstow over 8.1f at Chepstow making a mockery of his mark (62). Readily defied a penalty at the same course over 1f shorter; 9lb higher, still 2lb below highest winning mark, sound claims.

Form: 9D-8211

(4)

Leroy Leroy^b²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: P Cosgrave| T: J R Boyle| OR: 75| D

16/1

Blinkers go on for the first-time having disappointed on both starts for this yard (looked a hard ride in cheekpieces last time). Down in trip he's now resides 9lb below his highest/last winning mark but with very little sign of taking advantage.

Form: 4747-48

(3)

Lalania⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Hollie Doyle| T: W Stone| OR: 75

16/1

Unfancied 16-1 chance when winning on reappearance at Yarmouth (7f, firm), race has turned out well (third, dead-heat fourth won next time). Previously a winner over sprint trips, latest win gives more options, has yet to try 1m, so doubts remain.

Form: 2-14551

(5)

Image Of The Moon^p¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Josephine Gordon| T: S L Keightley| OR: 74| D

16/1

Back-to-back 1m AW winner at Kempton last year, kept to the AW ever since including for his two starts post-resumption of racing. Failed to fire in either of those outings (possibly still lacking fitness last time), needs to show more.

Form: 1148-86

(10)

Puerto Banus¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: R L Moore| T: Ian Williams| OR: 72

16/5

Fairly useful maiden; placed in four handicaps since joining this yard, returned to form last time over C&D off 1lb lower nark. That run confirmed he's in good heart but at the same time suggested he's held off marks like this by the handicapper.

Form: 782-622

(9)

Oud Metha Bridge¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Dylan Hogan⁽³⁾| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 71| D

10/1

Yarmouth specialist, run well twice there on return backing up an earlier effort last time over 1m, taking the runner-up slot. Often travels strongly but looks in the grip of the handicapper especially away from his favoured seaside venue.

Form: 9-32732

(11)

Bertog¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J Mackie| OR: 71| BF

6/1

Unreliable sort who finally came good at Doncaster (7f, firm) in June after shaping well on comeback run. Below-par last time (ground may have been too soft) at Haydock (7f), earlier quirks looking to resurface, not one to make too many excuses for.

Form: 3/70-716

(8)

Leo Davinci¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Kevin Lundie⁽⁵⁾| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 70

40/1

7f Redcar handicap winner in 2019 off 3lb lower with George Scott, form gradually tailed away after that victory. Posed little threat in two starts for this yard (on the back of a wind op), slipping in the weights, not yet primed to take advantage.

Form: 2350-85

(7)

Zefferino^t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: M R Bosley| OR: 69| D

12/1

Three-time winner at Bath/Chelmsford (twice) last year over 1m (often starts slowly), finished off the year poorly. Not seen to best effect after seven months off again over 1m at Chelmsford (effort hampered by slow start), hard to be confident.

Form: 31197-4

(2)

Toro Dorado²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 68| D

7/1

In cracking form earlier in the year taking four AW handicaps from five starts over 1m at three different tracks. Underperformed in two recent starts the latest back on AW (had already won over that C&D), looks vulnerable even off lower turf mark.

Form: 115195

Forecasts

Puerto Banus (16/5), Sir Plato (4/1), Bertog (6/1), Toro Dorado (7/1), Oud Metha Bridge (10/1), Dargel (12/1), Zefferino (12/1), Lalania (16/1), Image Of The Moon (16/1), Leroy Leroy (16/1), Leo Davinci (40/1)

Hard to find a progressive type in this apart from SIR PLATO who arrives here looking to complete a hat-trick having readily taken his last two handicaps in good style. This return to 1m is very much in his favour and although he’s a stone higher than when scoring by a wide margin for the first of his Chepstow wins he’s won off and coped with marks of this magnitude before. Puerto Banus and Lalania offer threats in form terms although the former doesn’t look that well handicapped and the latter has to prove herself at this trip. Poor last time Dargel has form in better circles than he faces here so isn’t a forlorn hope while Bertog would have claims if his quirks could be held in check.