18:30 Chelmsford City

Thursday 3 February 2022

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap

Off time: 18:32 | Winning time: 59.65s

(8)

Night On Earth^h¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Watson| T: M Appleby| OR: 85| BF| D

7/1

Three-time winner in 2021 who raced closer to the pace than ideal when fourth at Newcastle (5f) 14 days ago. Much respected on his polytrack debut.

Form: 52110-4

(7)

Crimson Sand¹¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: George Rooke⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 84| BF| C| D

4/1

Course winner in August but off since below-form fourth in 6f handicap here in October. Needs to hit the ground running on his return.

Form: 355124-

(10)

Marnie James²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: S Dixon| OR: 84| CD

12/1

C&D winner who posted creditable second of 5 in handicap at Lingfield (5f) 27 days ago. It's now twenty runs since his last win, however.

Form: 32042-2

(5)

Ben Macdui⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: O McSweeney⁽⁵⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 82| D

22/1

Winless since his debut, and reportedly bled when twelfth in handicap at Nottingham (5f) 99 days ago. Makes his polytrack debut with a bit to prove.

Form: 630950-

(4)

Ornate⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: Phil Dennis| T: D C Griffiths| OR: 81| D

9/1

Arrives on a lengthy losing run, but he posted good fourth of 10 in handicap at Southwell (5f) 9 days ago. No forlorn hope.

Form: 9-85264

(2)

Lihou¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Tom Marquand| T: P D Evans| OR: 81| D

16/5

Nineteen runs since his last win, but he signalled he's ready to go in again when second of 9 in handicap over C&D 19 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 44536-2

(3)

Lucky Ava¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: M Dwyer| T: C Allen| OR: 74| CD

13/2

C&D winner in August who continues in good order, third of 9 back over C&D 19 days ago. High on the shortlist eased 1 lb now.

Form: 71323-3

(1)

Buy Me Back²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: David Probert| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 73| D

10/1

Four-time 5f winner in 2021 who comes here on the back of good third of 5 in handicap at Lingfield (6f) 26 days ago. Possibilities.

Form: 05035-3

(6)

Seraphinite²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: R Havlin| T: W Jarvis| OR: 72| D

14/1

Hasn't proved the easiest to catch right since scoring at Windsor in April, only sixth of 8 at Wolverhampton (5.1f) 29 days ago. Others appeal more.

Form: 9/1362-6

(9)

Dark Side Prince^p²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-8| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen| T: Jessica Macey| OR: 72| CD

9/1

Signed off 2021 with a hat-trick, including over C&D, and posted another solid effort when third at Wolverhampton (5.1f) 29 days ago. Firmly in the picture.

Form: 25111-3

Forecasts

Lihou (16/5), Crimson Sand (4/1), Lucky Ava (13/2), Night On Earth (7/1), Dark Side Prince (9/1), Ornate (9/1), Buy Me Back (10/1), Marnie James (12/1), Seraphinite (14/1), Ben Macdui (22/1)

Plenty are in with a shout, so at the likely odds it's worth siding with LIHOU who has dropped to a good mark and hinted that his turn is near when runner-up over C&D last month. Lucky Ava comes here in excellent nick so this C&D scorer rates a big threat along with Mick Appleby's polytrack debutant Night On Earth.