19:20 Chelmsford City

Thursday 4 March 2021

All16:5017:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:50

Racing Welfare Handicap

Off time: 19:21 | Winning time: 2m 6.04s

(5)

Lexington Force¹⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R L Moore| T: R Hannon| OR: 85| BF

11/2

Promising sort. One win from 3 runs last year. 3/1, third of 9 in handicap at Redcar (8f, good to firm). Off 170 days and gelded. Up in trip. Open to further improvement, so boasts leading claims.

Form: 123-

(7)

Pitcher's Point^p1¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 85| BF| CD

15/2

C&D winner. Latest win here in September. 4/5, third of 4 in handicap at Newcastle (10.2f) 12 days ago. Cheekpieces on 1st time. One to consider.

Form: 21174-3

(1)

Arij^t¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: J Mitchell| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 84| CD

9/4

C&D winner. Winner here in December. 4/1, creditable second of 7 in handicap at Wolverhampton (9.5f) 19 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 514-232

(8)

Pactolus^h,t¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-6| J: S M Levey| T: S C Williams| OR: 84| CD

50/1

4-time course winner. Twenty four runs since last win in 2019. Fourth of 7 in handicap (11/1) at Wolverhampton (9.5f) 19 days ago. Others make more appeal.

Form: 6865-24

(2)

Summeronsevenhills^b⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: S W Kelly| T: R Hughes| OR: 84| CD

10/1

C&D winner. Cheekpieces on for 1st time, fourth of 5 in handicap (13/2) at Southwell (12.1f) 46 days ago. Blinkers back on. Return to polytrack should suit.

Form: 0844-54

(4)

High Commissioner¹²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: David Egan| T: P & O Cole| OR: 82| D

5/1

7/2, won 10-runner handicap at Newcastle (10.2f), getting first run. Off 121 days. Back up to a mark that sums him up, so vulnerable to less-exposed types.

Form: 459251-

(6)

Central City^p⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: R Kingscote| T: Ian Williams| OR: 77| CD

13/2

C&D winner. Latest win here in February. Respectable fourth of 10 in handicap (8/1) at Lingfield (10f, AW) 5 days ago. Should give his running once more, but others are less exposed.

Form: 2-55314

(9)

War Leader¹⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 74

8/1

20/1, first run since leaving Aidan O'Brien when good second of 10 in handicap at this C&D. Off 145 days. Form has been boosted since, so definite claims if ready to go after a break.

Form: 7/43542-

(3)

Bayston Hill^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Charlie Bennett| T: M D I Usher| OR: 70| CD

25/1

5-time C&D winner. Three wins from 12 runs last year. Latest win here in January. Good ½-length second of 9 to Central City in handicap (6/1) at this C&D 14 days ago. Will find this tougher.

Form: 3616-12

Forecasts

Arij (9/4), High Commissioner (5/1), Lexington Force (11/2), Central City (13/2), Pitcher's Point (15/2), War Leader (8/1), Summeronsevenhills (10/1), Bayston Hill (25/1), Pactolus (50/1)

LEXINGTON FORCE was steadily progressive at 3 yrs and promises to be well suited by this step up in trip on his first outing for 170 days/since being gelded. He's capable of improving past a mark of 85 and gets the vote. Pitcher's Point strikes as the main danger and the in-form Arij warrants plenty of respect.