Final Furlong Podcast Handicap

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 2m 6.77s

(4)

Victory Chime³⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 90| D

7/1

In good form last summer winning 1m2f at Sandown and Epsom but not seen for 349 days and will do very well to make a winning return after such an absence off 3lb higher mark.

Form: 135131-

(5)

Soghan^t⁵⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-13| J: S W Kelly| T: R Hughes| OR: 89

28/1

Won 2m h'cap at Kempton in 2018 then made light of eight-month absence when winning over 1m4f at Lingfield in January 2019. Not seen since and would be outstanding effort to drop back again in trip and win after so long on sidelines.

Form: 12125/1-

(2)

Lucky's Dream¹⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: M Dwyer| T: Ian Williams| OR: 85| D

28/1

Returns to turf 16lb higher than when fourth at Newbury in July 2019. Done very well on AW since then and landed winter 1m2f hat-trick before fair second off 85 at Kempton in March. Has a bit to prove back on this surface.

Form: 44-1112

(3)

First Winter^p²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 86| CD

8/11

Showed promise first three runs in novice company then responded very well to first-time cheekpieeces when comfortably winning C&D novice event last month. Handicap bow here and still relatively unexposed so might easily follow up for top yard.

Form: 2-421

(1)

Baryshnikov⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Tom Marquand| T: T D Barron| OR: 77

9/4

Still a maiden after 13 attempts but seemed to try his best when only narrowly beaten last time at Pontefract 1m2f off 3lb lower mark. Makes long journey south for this so has to be respected for very shrewd connections.

Form: 6-35332

Forecasts

First Winter (8/11), Baryshnikov (9/4), Victory Chime (7/1), Soghan (28/1), Lucky's Dream (28/1)

Cheekpieces appeared to make all the difference for FIRST WINTER who duly landed the odds in C&D novice event last time having shown promise in his three previous outings. He appears feasibly weighted on handicap bow and his in-form yard does well here. Connections have been very patient with Soghan who seems to have his issues but has plenty of ablility as well. It's asking a lot though for him to be ready after a very long absence. Victory Chimes was in fair form last summer and is respected despite also being off the track for a long spell, while Baryshnikov went close last time at Pontefract and although still a maiden has fair claims.