17:40 Musselburgh

Friday 20 August 2021

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3017:0517:40

Champagne Pommery Blanc De Blancs Handicap

Off time: 17:40 | Winning time: 1m 40.21s

(4)

King Of Tonga¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: Jason Watson| T: D O'Meara| OR: 68

10/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2019. Last of 5 in handicap at Ayr (7.2f, good, 10/3) 13 days ago, ridden too aggressively. On a workable mark, but his profile is distinctly patchy.

Form: 298835

(5)

How Bizarre⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-12| J: D Nolan| T: L Bailey| OR: 67| BF| CD

4/1

C&D winner. Creditable third of 11 in handicap (25/1) at Catterick (7f, good to firm) 4 days ago. Shade more needed if he's to take this, but shouldn't be far away.

Form: 72740-3

(7)

Mi Capricho²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: S H James| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 64| C| D

7/2

Course winner. 3 wins from 6 runs this year. Didn't need to improve to win 6-runner handicap at Hamilton (8.3f, good to firm, 6/4) 20 days ago, having run of race. 2 lb rise fair and merits respect.

Form: 611221

(1)

My Thought¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: J P Sullivan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 63| D

4/1

Latest win at Redcar in July. Respectable fourth of 8 in handicap (10/3) at Haydock (10.2f, good to soft) 14 days ago. Back down in trip. May again find one or two good.

Form: 941414

(3)

Boy In The Bar^t,v¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: Ben Sanderson⁽³⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 60| D

6/1

9/2, improved on recent efforts to win 11-runner handicap at Yarmouth (8f, good) 15 days ago, keeping on well. Remains well treated following a 5 lb rise, but he's not certain to reproduce that form.

Form: 989021

(2)

Empirestateofmind^b⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Billy Garritty⁽³⁾| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 62

11/4

Good second of 7 in handicap (13/2) at Beverley (8.4f, good to firm) 8 days ago. That near-miss was his best effort yet and good chance of going one better here off the same mark.

Form: 4-76832

Non-Runners

(6)

Havana Go¹³

Weight: 8-11| Age: 6

T: I Jardine J: A Mullen

Forecasts

Empirestateofmind (11/4), Mi Capricho (7/2), My Thought (4/1), How Bizarre (4/1), Havana Go (5/1), Boy In The Bar (6/1), King Of Tonga (10/1)

EMPIRESTATEOFMIND has responded well to the fitting of blinkers of late, finishing third on the all-weather prior to last week's near miss off this mark at Beverley. He deserves to get his head in front and is taken to do just that. The in-form Mi Capricho should remain competitive following a 2 lb rise for his latest success at Hamilton and is second choice ahead of Boy In The Bar.