17:35 Newmarket

Saturday 28 August 2021

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

Close Brothers Handicap

Off time: 17:36 | Winning time: 58.68s

(5)

Soul Seeker¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Angus Villiers⁽⁵⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 86| D

4/1

Likeable sort who continues to thrive for this yard, adding fourth success to the tally over at York in July. Latest effort back there easily excused (not clear run 2f out) so not dismissed here.

Form: 221170

(2)

Newyorkstateofmind^p¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen⁽³⁾| T: W Muir & C Grassick| OR: 84| D

12/1

Off the mark for this season at Bath in June and showed much improved form to resume winning ways having a first start on tapeta at Wolverhampton 15 days ago. 5 lb rise fair so not discounted.

Form: 125731

(4)

James Watt^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: M Harley| T: P T Midgley| OR: 80| D

10/1

Scored twice this season, latest at York in July. Creditable effort when runner-up at Thirsk 15 days ago but consistency clearly isn't his forte and he's likely to find one or two too good.

Form: 813192

(8)

Han Solo Berger^p¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C F Wall| OR: 80| BF| CD

9/2

C&D winner who was strong in the betting having been given a chance by the handicapper and ran well when runner-up at Windsor 12 days ago. Nudged up 2 lb so others appeal more for win purposes.

Form: 076252

(1)

Prince Of Abington^p¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: W Buick| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 82

13/2

Dual 6f winner in 2020 and has returned in good order this term, not disgraced when third of 4 in handicap at Nottingham (5f, good, 7/2) 15 days ago. Not an obvious move staying at this trip, though.

Form: 1-27343

(9)

Secretinthepark^v¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 9-7| J: Josephine Gordon| T: R Menzies| OR: 80| D

7/1

Improved on recent efforts on first start for new yard and visored when winning 6-runner handicap at Thirsk 15 days ago. Another bold show on the cards.

Form: 0-41641

(3)

Seneca Chief¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: Dane O'Neill| T: D & C Kubler| OR: 76| BF| D

16/1

Has seemingly been revitalised with the hood left off on last couple of starts, scoring at Salisbury earlier this month before a close third at Lingfield 5 days later. In good form so obvious claims.

Form: 287713

(6)

Passional^t³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Marco Ghiani| T: S C Williams| OR: 73| CD

5/1

Notched 4 AW wins during the winter and finally off the mark on turf last time, scoring readily under this rider after just 1 day off over this C&D 5 weeks ago. Makes obvious apeal again.

Form: 722531

(7)

Nibras Again¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: N Callan| T: P T Midgley| OR: 72| D

9/1

Better than the result when fourth at Carlisle 10 days ago, forced to switch after hampered over 1f out. Vulnerable to younger rivals but rates a player from this sort of mark.

Form: 722044

Forecasts

Soul Seeker (4/1), Han Solo Berger (9/2), Passional (5/1), Prince Of Abington (13/2), Secretinthepark (7/1), Nibras Again (9/1), James Watt (10/1), Newyorkstateofmind (12/1), Seneca Chief (16/1)

Those at the bottom of the weights could be worth focusing on, with PASSIONAL getting to vote to follow up from her C&D victory 5 weeks ago and in the process provide Marco Ghiani with a fourth win on the filly. Seneca Chief has seemingly been revitalised with the hood left off recently so he's taken to chase the selection home, ahead of Nibras Again and Soul Seeker.