16:05 Ascot

Saturday 7 May 2022

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

tote Victoria Cup (Heritage Handicap)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 1m 27.18s

(26)

Accidental Agent^b²³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: Georgia Dobie⁽³⁾| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 109| CD

22/1

Not the easiest to predict nowadays, but he returned with 7f handicap win at Newmarket 23 days ago. C&D scorer too, so he can't be dismissed.

Form: 26608-1

(19)

One Ruler^p⁹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 107| D

5/1

Useful gelding who posted good third of 13 to Real World in Zabeel Mile at Meydan in January. Off since but cheekpieces back on and much respected for yard among the winners.

Form: 6734-63

(5)

Path Of Thunder^b¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Harry Davies⁽⁷⁾| T: C Appleby| OR: 107| BF| D

20/1

Kickstarted 2022 with 1m win at Meydan and he posted another solid effort when second of 3 to Happy Power in 7f listed race at Leicester 14 days ago. Shortlisted.

Form: 10-1432

(21)

Magical Morning²⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 106

14/1

Very useful handicapper who signed off for 2021 with excellent third of 20 in Balmoral Handicap here (1m) 6 months ago. Bold showing is likely on his return off an unchanged mark.

Form: 810203-

(28)

River Nymph⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Fahy| T: C G Cox| OR: 102| CD

25/1

Gelded and off 5 months off before coming in last in 7f listed race at Wolverhampton 56 days ago. Landed this contest 12 months ago though, so he can't be ruled out with that run under his belt.

Form: 01440-0

(2)

Spirit Of Light^t⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: R Kingscote| T: Ian Williams| OR: 102| D

66/1

Smart gelding in the UAE who scored over 7f at Abu Dhabi in November. This is no easy ask on his yard debut here however.

Form: 23-6209

(9)

Aratus¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox| OR: 102| D

18/1

Went unbeaten in three starts last season, signing off with 7f Goodwood handicap success in August. Raced too freely when last of 3 in Leicester listed event on his return, so needs to be more tractable here.

Form: 21/111-3

(8)

Star Of Orion¹⁸⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: H Crouch| T: R M Beckett| OR: 100| D

25/1

Useful handicapper who went close in International Stakes over C&D in July. Not seen to best effect when seventh in 1m listed contest at Newmarket on his final start, so he's not ruled out for in-form yard.

Form: 012877-

(1)

Mums Tipple¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 99| C| D

50/1

Very classy at his peak but he ended 2021 under a cloud. Needs to take a big step forward on his comeback run.

Form: 484005-

(17)

Popmaster²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Saffie Osborne⁽³⁾| T: E Walker| OR: 99| C

16/1

Dual 6f handicap winner in 2021, including here. Looked rusty after 6 months off when ninth at Newmarket 25 days ago. Can take a step forward now.

Form: 15107-9

(13)

Fresh^t¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: D Tudhope| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 98| C

7/1

Course winner who also finished runner-up in Wokingham here last summer. Teed himself up perfectly for this when good second in 6f handicap at Kempton 19 days ago, and he's a big player back at 7f off a handy mark.

Form: 28330-2

(23)

Chiefofchiefs^v¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: Hayley Turner| T: C Fellowes| OR: 97| C

18/1

Course winner who resumed with good third in handicap at Kempton (6f) 19 days ago. Considered now eased 1 lb.

Form: 57456-3

(27)

Vafortino⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Benoit D L Sayette⁽⁷⁾| T: K P De Foy| OR: 97| D

16/1

Dual 7f winner for Joseph O'Brien who shaped very well on his return/yard bow when second of 11 in 7f handicap at Newcastle 40 days ago. Must enter calculations despite 4 lb rise.

Form: 33/390-2

(3)

Dance Fever²³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: William Cox⁽³⁾| T: C G Cox| OR: 96| BF| D

25/1

Useful 7f winner who got back on track returned to turf when third of 6 to Accidental Agent in handicap at Newmarket (7f) 23 days ago. Possibilities.

Form: 246-703

(18)

Gioia Cieca¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 96| D

50/1

Low-mileage 4-y-o who posted good fourth in 7f Haydock handicap a fortnight ago. Not dismissed off an unchanged mark.

Form: 0124-94

(16)

Royal Pleasure^h⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 95| BF| D

16/1

Made a winning return on back of wind surgery at Chelmsford (6f) in February and backed it up with good third of 4 in 6f Doncaster handicap a week ago. Can't be ruled out returned to this longer trip.

Form: 3454-13

(6)

Ropey Guest^v¹⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: J F Egan| T: G G Margarson| OR: 93| D

33/1

Scored at Yarmouth (1m) last September and continued in good nick in 2021. Back now from 6 months off and no forlorn hope.

Form: 051045-

(7)

Tadreeb²³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: William Carson| T: M J Attwater| OR: 92| D

100/1

Made an excellent start on AW for current yard, landing back-to-back 7f Lingfield handicaps, but he came in last of 6 returned to turf at Newmarket 23 days ago. Big step forward is required.

Form: 17-4116

(22)

Darkness^v¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: M Harley| T: D O'Meara| OR: 92| D

22/1

Useful ex-French 7f/1m winner. Has improved with each of his three runs for current yard, visored when third in 1m Haydock handicap a fortnight ago. Can't be ruled out.

Form: 356-043

(4)

Dark Shift²¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C Hills| OR: 91| CD

9/1

Ended 2021 on the up and on a hat-trick after back-to-back successes here in the autumn. Sort to go on again this term, so he merits consideration despite having a career-high mark to overcome.

Form: 184611-

(11)

Eagleway^p⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Joey Haynes| T: I Furtado| OR: 91| D

50/1

Resurgent since fitted with cheekpieces, landing 7f Southwell handicap in January and recording good sixth in Lincoln at Doncaster last time. Runner-up in this event 12 months ago and he's in the picture again.

Form: 723-146

(14)

Baldomero¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Laura Pearson⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 90| D

80/1

Took his form up a notch for new connections when winning over 1m2f at Kempton in March. Only eighth of nine in 1m Haydock handicap a fortnight ago though and has a bit to prove now.

Form: 2-21258

(24)

Alrehb¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: F Norton| T: K P De Foy| OR: 89| BF| D

17/2

Bagged 7f handicaps at Wolverhampton and Lingfield before recording good second of 10 at Haydock (7f) a fortnight ago. One for the shortlist with few miles still on the clock.

Form: 12-5112

(20)

Hieronymus^p²²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: Nicola Currie| T: George Baker| OR: 89| D

33/1

Winless since 2020, but he's a consistent sort who resumed with good second of 8 in handicap at Chelmsford City (7f) 22 days ago. Merits consideration once more.

Form: 47222-2

(12)

The Turpinator²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-6| J: George Rooke⁽³⁾| T: T Ward| OR: 89| D

16/1

Fairly useful form shown in his light career to date, making a successful start for this yard at Kempton (7f) before good sixth of 17 in Newbury Spring Cup last month. No forlorn hope.

Form: 1/257-16

(15)

Orbaan^t²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Jack Duern⁽³⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 89

33/1

Useful gelding at his best but he's yet to fire in handicaps at Redcar and Newbury this term. On a long losing run.

Form: 3592-80

(10)

Shoot To Kill²²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: Aidan Keeley⁽⁷⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 85| D

40/1

Made a fine start for his current yard this winter, completing hat-trick at Lingfield. Recorded another good effort when fifth over 1m there last time, so he can't be entirely dismissed in this deeper contest.

Form: 11-1355

Non-Runners

(25)

Oo De Lally¹⁴

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: A M Balding J: William Carver

Forecasts

One Ruler (5/1), Fresh (7/1), Alrehb (17/2), Dark Shift (9/1), Magical Morning (14/1), Vafortino (16/1), The Turpinator (16/1), Popmaster (16/1), Royal Pleasure (16/1), Aratus (18/1), Chiefofchiefs (18/1), Path Of Thunder (20/1), Accidental Agent (22/1), Darkness (22/1), River Nymph (25/1), Star Of Orion (25/1), Dance Fever (25/1), Oo De Lally (25/1), Ropey Guest (33/1), Hieronymus (33/1), Orbaan (33/1), Shoot To Kill (40/1), Mums Tipple (50/1), Eagleway (50/1), Gioia Cieca (50/1), Spirit Of Light (66/1), Baldomero (80/1), Tadreeb (100/1)

There are good grounds for siding with FRESH, who has already shown his liking for big-field handicaps over this straight track and arrives on a handy mark too following a promising reappearance second at Kempton. Vafortino caught the eye on his debut for Kevin Philippart de Foy when runner-up at Newcastle and this dual ex-Irish 7f scorer is next on the list, although Magical Morning, One Ruler, Oo de Lally and Dark Shift all need factoring in too in a typically ultra-competitive Victoria Cup.