17:30 Salisbury

Thursday 29 September 2022

All13:2513:5914:3415:0915:4416:1916:5417:30

Weatherbys Stallion Book Handicap

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 3m 9.46s

Wilderness^b⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Mr Taylor Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: J W Mullins| OR: 81| CD

12/1

C&D winner in July. 14/1, fourth of 7 in handicap back here C&D (good) 41 days ago. Likely to find one or two too good once more.

Form: 0620/14

Songo^h¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Rob Hornby| T: M F Harris| OR: 80| CD

11/2

C&D winner. 3 wins from 6 runs this year. Latest win here in July. Ninth of 10 in handicap at Doncaster (14.5f, good to soft, 9/1) 18 days ago. Possibly a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 131219

Oleg⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Hollie Doyle| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 77

17/2

Fairly useful winner over fences. 22/1, creditable fifth of 9 in handicap at Kempton (16f) 57 days ago. Now 2 lb lower and he has to enter calculations.

Form: 7117/U5

Daiquiri⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Tom Marquand| T: M Meade| OR: 83

17/2

Winner at Doncaster in June. Last of 7 in handicap at Chelmsford City (14f, 9/2) 44 days ago, well positioned. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 9-74137

La Pulga^b¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 80

4/1

Very good third of 14 in handicap (16/1) at Newbury (12f, good) 12 days ago. That represented a step firmly back in the right direction and he's a big player up in trip here off the same mark with Ryan Moore taking over.

Form: 20-7963

Zikany¹¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: R Havlin| T: Mrs A J Perrett| OR: 72

16/1

10/1, fifth of 8 in handicap at Goodwood (12f, good to firm). Off 118 days and it's probably best to look elsewhere on this occasion.

Form: 326-605

Masterdream^p,t⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Oliver Searle⁽⁷⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 71

10/1

Lightly-raced maiden on Flat. Modest winner over hurdles. Tongue strap on for 1st time in this code, good third of 7 in handicap at this C&D (good, 16/1) 41 days ago. Place possibilities.

Form: 5575/3

Al Azhar⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Jim Crowley| T: M P Tregoning| OR: 76| BF

11/4

Two wins from 5 runs this year, the latest at Newbury in June. Last of 11 in handicap at Ascot (12f, good to firm, 7/4) 69 days ago. Will be a danger to all if able to bounce back.

Form: 2-13120

King's Castle^t1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: David Probert| T: J Scott| OR: 67

15/2

Latest win at Newbury in June. 9/1, first run since leaving Joseph Tuite when respectable fifth of 12 in handicap at Epsom (12f, heavy) 21 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time and certainly not without hope.

Form: 701405

Forecasts

Al Azhar (11/4), La Pulga (4/1), Songo (11/2), King's Castle (15/2), Daiquiri (17/2), Oleg (17/2), Masterdream (10/1), Wilderness (12/1), Zikany (16/1)

The vote goes to LA PULGA, who left this season's previous efforts well behind when third at Newbury, an effort which offered plenty of encouragement with regard to the potential suitability of this new trip. He remains on an attractive mark (runner-up off 8 lb higher in a nursery last term) and the booking of Ryan Moore adds to his appeal. Oleg performed with credit at Kempton last time and is feared most for his top jumps yard, while King's Castle and Al Azhar also warrant respect.