14:05 Chester

Friday 6 May 2022

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:4516:2016:55

Deepbridge Handicap

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 2m 9.33s

(7)

Mujtaba⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Jim Crowley| T: W J Haggas| OR: 98| BF| C

9/4

Made it 3-3 with the minimum of fuss in 1m Redcar handicap in October. Disappointing when sent off a warm order for the Lincoln on reappearance but certainly isn't one to be giving up on with this trip likely to suit.

Form: 111-0

(2)

Cap Francais⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: Ian Williams| OR: 93

6/1

Freshened up by a break and easily best effort for this yard when landing 9-runner handicap at Newmarket on Sunday. Fit and in form but 5 lb penalty does ask a question.

Form: 54404-1

(6)

Skycutter^h²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Ryan Sexton⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 95| D

17/2

Fairly useful winner over hurdles, not disgraced in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham in March. Better than ever back on the level when landing 4-runner contest at Ripon last month 3 weeks ago.

Form: 22604-1

(8)

Lord Protector²¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Rob Hornby| T: R M Beckett| OR: 93| BF| D

5/1

Progressive when winning first 3 starts, seeing off another improver at Salisbury last spring. Failed to build on that as quite expected last year but he's lightly raced and could easily flourish as a 4-y-o.

Form: 1/11364-

(5)

Baryshnikov³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Connor Beasley| T: T D Barron| OR: 91| CD

5/2

Consistent last year, including 2 wins at the start of the summer. Expertly prepared to make a winning reappearance on heavy ground at Pontefract last month and a 5 lb rise is perfectly fair.

Form: 62453-1

(1)

Restorer^v¹

Age: 10| Weight: 8-4| J: R Ffrench| T: Ian Williams| OR: 84| CD

16/1

C&D winner who ran well when placed in a couple of AW handicaps at up to 2m this spring. However, losing run is mounting up and he never figured on back of a slow start at Ripon. Respectable fourth of 13 in handicap (28/1) at this C&D (good to soft) 1 day ago.

Form: 753364

(9)

Bakersboy²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Josephine Gordon| T: P S McEntee| OR: 77| D

50/1

Novice winner at Lingfield in March, Matched that form when fifth back over that C&D last time but no easy task back on turf from out of the weights.

Form: 3-22155

Non-Runners

(3)

Brentford Hope¹⁸⁰

Weight: 9-10| Age: 5

T: R Hughes J: J P Spencer

(4)

Just Fine²¹⁸

Weight: 9-1| Age: 4

T: Sir Michael Stoute J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Mujtaba (9/4), Baryshnikov (5/2), Brentford Hope (10/3), Lord Protector (5/1), Just Fine (5/1), Cap Francais (6/1), Skycutter (17/2), Restorer (16/1), Bakersboy (50/1)

This could go the way of one of the lightly-raced 4-y-os, with MUJTABA taken to cast aside a disappointing display when fancied for the Lincoln, particularly with this trip expected to suit. Lord Protector hit the ground running last spring and is a big threat, with Baryshnikov another to consider.