14:55 Epsom Downs

Tuesday 19 April 2022

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0016:30

City And Suburban Handicap

Off time: 14:56 | Winning time: 2m 9.04s

(6)

Soto Sizzler^p1²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: R L Moore| T: D Menuisier| OR: 99| C| D

7/2

Not out of the first 2 in 4 previous visits here (all 1½m). Back to winning ways at Newmarket (1¼m) under Ryan Moore last autumn. Should be spot on for this after a decent reappearance run in listed company at Kempton last month. Cheekpieces on. Player.

Form: 28551-7

(7)

Achelois¹⁶⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 93| D

10/3

Took another step forward when recording win number 3 in good style at Goodwood (1¼m) last July. Creditable efforts in defeat to end 2021 and she's much respected on return for a stable which is no stranger to success in this contest.

Form: 311344-

(3)

Love Is Golden¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: W Buick| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 87

11/1

Sound reappearance when 2 lengths second of 12 over this trip at Doncaster last month. Possibly unsuited by very testing ground when running poorly at Pontefract since.

Form: 4208-20

(2)

Vulcan⁴⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Laura Pearson⁽³⁾| T: R M Beckett| OR: 85| BF| D

7/1

Progressed into a useful handicapper for Harry Dunlop last season. Didn't get close to that level when beaten favourite in a pair of hurdles for Dr Richard Newland this year but interesting back on the Flat for another new stable.

Form: 522114/

(1)

Fairmac^b⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 84| D

13/2

Tough front runner who wasn't at hs best when third of 4 on last week's heavy-ground Ripon reappearance but he could be sharper for the run and this return to a sounder surface could also help.

Form: 13424-3

(4)

Bad Company^p¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Hayley Turner| T: J R Boyle| OR: 83| D

11/1

Bagged a win at Sandown last August and ended 2021 with a good second at Newmarket in first-time cheekpieces. The headgear was absent when he finished a respectable sixth on his Lingfield return but it's back in place now.

Form: 54152-6

(5)

Arenas Del Tiempo¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: Hollie Doyle| T: S Dow| OR: 83| CD

11/4

Ended last season with a win (under Hollie Doyle) and second over C&D. Good efforts when narrowly denied on AW on his last 2 starts. Bold show likely back at venue which clearly suits.

Form: 612-723

(8)

Starry Eyes⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-2| J: Aidan Keeley⁽⁷⁾| T: A Carson| OR: 66

250/1

Has suffered 12 defeats since her 1m AW success at Lingfield last September. Well held latest and impossible to make a case for here from 14 lb out of handicap.

Form: 550770

Forecasts

Arenas Del Tiempo (11/4), Achelois (10/3), Soto Sizzler (7/2), Fairmac (13/2), Vulcan (7/1), Love Is Golden (11/1), Bad Company (11/1), Starry Eyes (250/1)

ARENAS DEL TIEMPO arrives in form and did well at this venue at the end of last summer so she's the suggestion in this competitive handicap. Andrew Balding has won this twice since 2015 and Achelois has the profile of one who could do better again as a 4-y-o. Soto Sizzler's good course record also earns him a place on the shortlist.