16:30 Chelmsford City

Thursday 17 June 2021

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:10

Ministry Of Sound Classical 21st August Handicap

Off time: 16:34 | Winning time: 2m 2.25s

(2)

Al Muffrih^t⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: R Coakley| T: S C Williams| OR: 85| D

22/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2019. 33/1, seventh of 10 in handicap at Newmarket (9f, good to firm) 47 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: 444407

(7)

Red October^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Cieren Fallon| T: H Palmer| OR: 84| CD

5/1

C&D winner. 5/1 and blinkered for 1st time, fifth of 8 in handicap at Leicester (10f, good to firm) 16 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Well treated and likely to strip fitter for his reappearance.

Form: 10657-5

(6)

Ritchie Valens²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Laura Pearson⁽⁵⁾| T: Tom Clover| OR: 80| CD

7/1

C&D winner. 7/2, creditable 1¼ lengths fourth of 8 to Punting in handicap at this C&D 28 days ago, running on. Tricky sort but he can get involved if things drop right.

Form: 5-55254

(8)

Punting^p¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: George Rooke⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 79| CD

11/2

C&D winner. Latest win here in May. Good third of 8 in handicap at Chester (12.3f, good to soft, 11/1) 19 days ago. Not one to write off back on polytrack.

Form: 5-69913

(3)

Mafia Power¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 78| D

5/1

10/3, creditable second of 7 in handicap at Windsor (11.4f, good to firm) 10 days ago, nearest finish. Enters calculations.

Form: 44-5432

(1)

War Leader²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: P Cosgrave| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 75| D

7/2

Won 7-runner handicap at Yarmouth (10.1f, good, 7/2) 29 days ago, keeping on well. Not an obvious sort to follow up given his overall profile.

Form: 2-75861

(5)

Top Class Angel¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: N Mackay| T: P R Chamings| OR: 74| C

16/1

Course winner. Good fourth of 9 in handicap at Lingfield (10f, good to firm, 14/1) 16 days ago. Not discounted having edged back down to last winning mark.

Form: 171-754

(4)

El Conquistador^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Ryan Tate| T: S C Williams| OR: 72| D

9/2

2 wins from 5 runs this year. Latest win at Lingfield in March. Creditable ¾-length third of 8 to Punting in handicap (5/1) at this C&D 28 days ago. Progressive on AW, so very much respected.

Form: 5-31143

Forecasts

War Leader (7/2), El Conquistador (9/2), Mafia Power (5/1), Red October (5/1), Punting (11/2), Ritchie Valens (7/1), Top Class Angel (16/1), Al Muffrih (22/1)

EL CONQUISTADOR has a very solid record on polytrack this season and arguably shaped best behind Punting over C&D last time. Provided there's a reasonable gallop, he can reverse form with that rival and get back to winning ways. Mafia Power is running consistently well and also warrants respect.