Highclere Castle Gin 'International Award Winning' Handicap

Off time: 19:54 | Winning time: 3m 27.78s

Darksideoftarnside^p¹⁶⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: S Bowen| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 75| D

40/1

Modest hurdler, ran creditably when sixth in handicap at Newcastle (20.3f, good to soft) 164 days ago. Poor on last Flat outing and probably best watched.

Form: 120/097-

Systemic^t,v²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Louis Steward| T: H Palmer| OR: 73

10/1

Is hard to trust but shaped better than the bare result when fifth of 8 in handicap at Yarmouth (14.1f, good to firm, 25/1) 24 days ago, needing stronger gallop.

Form: 339555

Grand Scheme¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen⁽³⁾| T: R Hannon| OR: 77

5/1

Winner at Chepstow in April. 3/1, good second of 7 in handicap at Lingfield (13f, AW) 13 days ago, just failing. In the mix if reproducing that back on turf.

Form: 2-13972

Amalfi Bay³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽³⁾| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 74

6/5

Has improved since sent handicapping up in trip, landing back-to-back 12f events at Epsom last month. Sure to go well in his hat-trick bid.

Form: 7-88411

Spirit Mixer⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 72

5/2

Winner at Newmarket in June but was back to looking a bit awkward off the bridle when not in the same form there last time.

Form: 433217

Temple Lock¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Georgia Dobie⁽³⁾| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 65| D

11/1

Returned to form from out of the blue to get off the mark in a thin handicap at Bath (14f) 16 days ago, getting first run on the second. Looks opposable in his follow-up bid from 3 lb higher.

Form: 8-36581

Non-Runners

Almost You¹¹⁵

Weight: 8-10| Age: 6

T: K P De Foy J: Callum Hutchinson

Forecasts

Amalfi Bay (6/5), Spirit Mixer (5/2), Grand Scheme (5/1), Almost You (7/1), Systemic (10/1), Temple Lock (11/1), Darksideoftarnside (40/1)

AMALFI BAY has gone from strength to strength since sent handicapping, and having drawn clear with a well-handicapped one on his latest start at Epsom, he really ought to be up to completing the hat-trick over this 2f longer trip. Almost You has won fresh in the past and is probably still on a fair mark, so looks the most interesting rival.