14:25 York

Saturday 22 August 2020

All13:5014:2515:0015:4016:1016:4017:10

Sky Bet Melrose Handicap

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 3m 2.77s

(13)

Mambo Nights²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Hannon| OR: 99

16/1

Unbeaten in three this term and needed to dig deep to hold off A Star Above in hotly contested event at Goodwood last time. Another 6lb rise might well stop him but he should give his all.

Form: 623-111

(9)

Eastern Sheriff^p²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K Stott| T: H Palmer| OR: 94

33/1

Progressive on the whole and put a blip at Newmarket behind him to score in first-time cheekpieces at Ayr last time, powering home having suffered plenty of interference. More to come.

Form: 1-4161

(15)

Arthurian Fable³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Jim Crowley| T: B J Meehan| OR: 93| D

9/1

Suited by increase in trip when landing a 6-runner handicap at Sandown but he's up in the weights in a much more competitive event, so he looks rather vulnerable.

Form: 23-2531

(3)

Midnights Legacy⁵⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: M Harley| T: A King| OR: 90

11/1

Continued theme of race-by-race progress when making it 2 from 2 this season at Haydock a couple of months ago, staying on strongly down the outside. Solid galloper, so this longer trip should help.

Form: 51-11

(4)

Fishable¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 89

22/1

Improving colt who scored readily on his handicap bow at Ripon, then had to work a bit harder to supplement it over the same C&D last time. Markedly longer trip is an unknown, but he's on the up.

Form: 2311

(1)

Kipps⁴³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: R L Moore| T: H Morrison| OR: 88| BF

5/1

Winless so far this term but was an excellent second in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and can be excused his latest effort at Newmarket. Freshened up for a big run.

Form: 21-224

(2)

A Star Above²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 88

9/1

Is getting better all the time and might have collared Mambo Nights at Goodwood had he gathered momentum that bit sooner. Should be suited by this longer trip, so warrants respect.

Form: 83-112

(12)

Favorite Moon⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Cieren Fallon⁽³⁾| T: W J Haggas| OR: 87| D

10/3

Upwardly-mobile type who showed a quality attitude to edge out Subjectivist as the pair pulled clear at Haydock 48 days ago. Form looks strong and he can do better still, so big player.

Form: 643-21

(6)

Bodyline⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Ryan Tate| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 87| BF

11/2

Has upped his game without winning this term, again shaping like there's a bigger performance in him (raced freely) when second of 4 at Newmarket a couple of months ago. Not dismissed.

Form: 512-262

(11)

Punctuation¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: P J McDonald| T: A M Balding| OR: 87

40/1

Emphatic 11-length winner of 12f Kempton maiden in February but hasn't really gone on since and is likely to come up short against a whole host of improving types.

Form: 216633

(8)

Coltrane¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 86| D

12/1

Looked a highly progressive stayer when supplementing his Chepstow novice success with a commanding display at Newmarket 14 days ago, so he's capable of getting involved under ideal cirucmstances.

Form: 2411

(7)

Wise Glory¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: S De Sousa| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 84

22/1

Dual scorer already this term and not beaten far when third in an Ascot handicap last time. Several others are open to more improvement, however.

Form: 3-2113

(5)

King's Charisma²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Harry Bentley| T: D O'Meara| OR: 83

25/1

Form: 435-111

(14)

Dancing Approach²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-1| J: David Egan| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 79

14/1

Progressive filly who landed Haydock handicaps readily before a creditable third in a strong race at Goodwood 25 days ago. May yet do better still, so hard to rule out.

Form: 44-9113

Non-Runners

(10)

Grand Bazaar¹⁴

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: J & T Gosden J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Favorite Moon (10/3), Kipps (5/1), Bodyline (11/2), Arthurian Fable (9/1), A Star Above (9/1), Midnights Legacy (11/1), Coltrane (12/1), Grand Bazaar (12/1), Dancing Approach (14/1), Mambo Nights (16/1), Wise Glory (22/1), Fishable (22/1), King's Charisma (25/1), Eastern Sheriff (33/1), Punctuation (40/1)

An incredibly strong 3-y-o handicap which could go the way of A STAR ABOVE, who has been pulling out more with each run and should be able to turn the tables with Mambo Nights from Goodwood over this longer trip. There are a whole host of improving sorts in opposition, most notably his stablemate Favourite Moon and recent Newmarket-scorer Coltrane.