18:35 Bath

Friday 30 July 2021

All17:2518:0018:3519:0519:4020:1020:40

Elijah's Star For Premature Birth Handicap

Off time: 18:35 | Winning time: 2m 30.26s

(5)

Global Wonder^p³³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: L Morris| T: J & S Best| OR: 52

11/1

14/1, creditable fifth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter (15.8f, good) 33 days ago, running on. Previous effort on the level was underwhelming but certainly not ruled out in an ordinary affair.

Form: 90036-9

(1)

Miss Matterhorn^p⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Charles Bishop| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 51

7/1

9/2, creditable second of 7 in handicap at Chepstow (12f, firm) 7 days ago, no match for winner. However, still low-mileage at this sort of trip and good showing not ruled out.

Form: 854302

(10)

Temur Khan^b1³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: H Crouch| T: A W Carroll| OR: 50| D

8/1

Twenty one runs since last win in 2019. 25/1, tenth of 13 in handicap at this C&D (firm) 30 days ago. Application of blinkers needs to have a positive effect now.

Form: 266400

(9)

Heaton Chapel³²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: S Hitchcott| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 48

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 100/1, seventh of 12 in handicap at Lingfield (10f, soft) 32 days ago. More needed now tackling this longer trip if he's to feature here.

Form: 6-757

(4)

Stormy Chaos^b¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Dylan Hogan⁽³⁾| T: M Hunt| OR: 47

100/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Tenth of 13 in minor event (250/1) at Wolverhampton (9.5f) 18 days ago. Up in trip. Makes handicap debut and the market may prove a useful guide.

Form: 960

(6)

It's How We Roll^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Ryan Tate| T: J L Spearing| OR: 46

11/4

Just one win from 34 Flat runs but he did run creditable when second of 5 in handicap over C&D 9 days ago. Should be thereabouts again.

Form: 304742

(2)

Windrush Song²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: J Butler| OR: 45

25/1

Eighth of 11 in handicap at this course (13f, good to soft, 50/1) 23 days ago. Others more convincing.

Form: 7690-68

(11)

Heart Of A Hunter¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Mollie Phillips⁽⁷⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 45

16/1

50/1, ninth of 12 in handicap at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 16 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 569879

(3)

Tally's Son^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: C Brace⁽³⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 45

125/1

One win from 38 Flat runs. 125/1, ninth of 11 in handicap at Chepstow (7.1f, good to firm) 15 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Hard to fancy.

Form: 00-0909

(12)

Mylittelriver¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Rhiain Ingram⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 45

150/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 250/1, eleventh of 12 in handicap at this C&D (good) 17 days ago.

Form: 0600

(7)

Merlin's Beard¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: George Rooke⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 50

9/4

Lightly-raced maiden. Very good third of 12 in handicap at this C&D (good, 13/2) 17 days ago, edged out only in a tight finish. Low-mileage sort and he has to be taken seriously.

Form: 87853

(8)

Lanika⁷⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Tyler Heard⁽⁵⁾| T: G Brown| OR: 45

6/1

Remains a maiden after 16 Flat runs. 12/1, bit below form seventh of 14 in handicap at this course (10.2f, good to soft) 79 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Sylvester Kirk.

Form: 8-07237

Forecasts

Merlin's Beard (9/4), It's How We Roll (11/4), Lanika (6/1), Miss Matterhorn (7/1), Temur Khan (8/1), Global Wonder (11/1), Heart Of A Hunter (16/1), Windrush Song (25/1), Heaton Chapel (40/1), Stormy Chaos (100/1), Tally's Son (125/1), Mylittelriver (150/1)

MERLIN'S BEARD is less exposed than most he meets here and ran his best race yet when third in a C&D handicap 17 days ago, edged out in a tight finish. He gets the nod to come out on top, with Miss Hatterhorn and It's How We Roll heading up the dangers.