16:15 Newbury

Saturday 22 October 2022

All13:1513:5014:2514:5515:3016:1516:50

Horris Hill School Handicap

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 2m 13.4s

(4)

Mujtaba^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Dane O'Neill| T: W J Haggas| OR: 104| BF| D

5/2

Back on track when landing a 1¼m Doncaster handicap in good style last month. Shade disappointing when only eighth in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket (9f, good) where he was behind Dual Identity and Caradoc, but it's nevertheless hard to omit this 4-y-o from calculations.

Form: 11-0418

(2)

Fantastic Fox¹²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: David Egan| T: R Varian| OR: 98

10/1

Successful twice last season and good third in a 1m Epsom handicap on Oaks day. However, shaped as though amiss at Royal Ascot when last seen in June and while this trip should be within range, he now has a bit to prove.

Form: 140-530

(10)

Gyllen^b1²⁵²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽⁵⁾| T: M Hunt| OR: 97| D

150/1

Smart performer on the Flat in France but latest appearance in this sphere was back in August 2019 and subsequent efforts over hurdles for Tim Vaughan suggest that he's not the force of old. Blinkers enlisted on debut for new yard and he's hard to warm to.

Form: 146558/

(6)

Magisterial^p1¹⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: M Harley| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 99| D

13/2

Frankel colt from an excellent family and looked good when landing a Leicester novice over this trip on return in April. Absent since finishing last of 11 in the Dante (gelded in the interim) but remains unexposed and needs a second look with cheekpieces enlisted for this handicap debut.

Form: 41-18

(7)

Jimi Hendrix²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 97

5/2

Excellent third in the Britannia at Royal Ascot prior to narrowly landing a 1m handicap at Newmarket in July. However, he has failed to fire the last twice, including when behind a few of these in the Cambridgeshire, and needs to bounce back.

Form: 313100

(8)

Alexander James²⁷⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Cieren Fallon| T: M Appleby| OR: 90

25/1

Dual winner on the AW last winter but yet to strike off a mark this high and faces a tall order here following 9 months off.

Form: 0311-35

(11)

Spirit Of The Bay^p⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: J P Fahy| T: C G Cox| OR: 86

12/1

Completed an impressive 4-timer last year and more good efforts than bad ones to her name this year. Wasn't entirely disgraced in first-time cheekpieces (retained) at Kempton last time but, on the downside, she remains 6 lb above her last winning mark.

Form: 257220

(12)

Vanity Affair²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Hollie Doyle| T: C Fellowes| OR: 80| BF| D

7/2

Completed a hat-trick in first half of 2021 and proved at least as good as ever after 8 weeks off when runner-up at Kempton in August. Again found just one too good at Haydock (11.6f, good) last time but this looks tough given that he's 5 lb 'wrong' at the weights.

Form: 3-42292

Non-Runners

(5)

Aerion Power⁴²⁷

Weight: 9-9| Age: 4

T: Sir Michael Stoute J: Non Runner

(9)

Natural World⁸⁶

Weight: 9-7| Age: 3

T: C Appleby J: W Buick

(1)

Dual Identity²⁸

Weight: 9-5| Age: 4

T: W J Knight J: Non Runner

(3)

Caradoc²⁸

Weight: 8-13| Age: 7

T: E Walker J: Non Runner

(13)

Noble Masquerade¹⁹

Weight: 8-9| Age: 5

T: Eve Johnson Houghton J: Georgia Dobie

Forecasts

Mujtaba (5/2), Jimi Hendrix (5/2), Dual Identity (11/4), Vanity Affair (7/2), Magisterial (13/2), Natural World (7/1), Caradoc (7/1), Fantastic Fox (10/1), Aerion Power (10/1), Spirit Of The Bay (12/1), Noble Masquerade (20/1), Alexander James (25/1), Gyllen (150/1)

DUAL IDENTITY and Mujtaba renew rivalry having finished third and eighth respectively in the Cambridgeshire last month. It wouldn't be the greatest of surprises were Mujtaba to turn the tables on Dual Identity here but, that said, William Knight's charge was arguably unlucky not to prevail in that valuable handicap and he is the most likely winner. Aerion Power and Magisterial are others to consider.