17:00 Newmarket

Saturday 20 May 2023

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Aspall Cyder Vinegar Handicap

Off time: 17:01 | Winning time: 1m 0.22s

(6)

Came From The Dark¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Saffie Osborne| T: E Walker| OR: 92| D

6/1

Last season was essentially disappointing and he failed to build on reappearance promise when last of 6 in handicap at Goodwood (5f, good to soft) 15 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 0855-36

(1)

Ancient Times^t1²³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Hayley Turner| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 92| D

3/1

Dual 5f winner early last season who continued in good nick after, fourth of 13 at Wolverhampton (6f) final run. Off 7 months but must enter calculations with tongue strap on for 1st time.

Form: 112024-

(8)

Celsius²⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: David Egan| T: Tom Clover| OR: 88| D

12/1

Kickstarted 2022 with 5f wins at Ascot and on July course here but off the track since posting a good C&D second in September. Still needs considering on his return.

Form: 46/1102-

(5)

Al Barez³²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: Tom Clover| OR: 87

3/1

Looked a very useful sprinter in making when completing a hat-trick in 6f Doncaster handicap last April. Had wind surgery/off 12 months before resuming with an encouraging fourth of 10 over C&D (soft) 32 days ago. Interesting.

Form: 211/1-4

(2)

Spring Bloom³²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Darragh Keenan| T: R Eddery| OR: 84| D

7/1

Won back to back over 5f at Windsor last July. Ran well after 5 months off when second of 10 in handicap at this C&D (soft, 16/1) 32 days ago. In the picture.

Form: 10874-2

(3)

Tolstoy¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S M Levey| T: S C Williams| OR: 82

8/1

Unreliable sort. Last of 6 in handicap at Windsor (6f, soft) 19 days ago, finding little. Thirteen runs since his last win in 2022.

Form: 426486

(7)

Isle Of Lismore¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Cieren Fallon| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 82| D

13/2

Dual 5f winner last year, including over July course here, and he comes here on the back of a solid fourth of 11 in handicap at Ascot (5f, good) 17 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 0214-74

(4)

Stone Circle¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: R Kingscote| T: M L W Bell| OR: 76| D

14/1

Returned with 5f win at Yarmouth in April but only fifth of 6 in handicap at Windsor (5.1f, soft) 19 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 1673-15

Forecasts

Ancient Times (3/1), Al Barez (3/1), Came From The Dark (6/1), Isle Of Lismore (13/2), Spring Bloom (7/1), Tolstoy (8/1), Celsius (12/1), Stone Circle (14/1)

AL BAREZ should be all the better for his reappearance C&D fourth after a long absence and can regain the winning thread here. Ascot-fourth Isle of Lismore could emerge as the chief threat to Tom Clover's low-mileage 4-y-o, with Spring Bloom and Ancient Times in the mix too in a competitive sprint.