20:15 Leicester

Thursday 29 June 2023

All17:1217:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Hope - Sponsored By Nucleus HR Handicap

Off time: 20:17 | Winning time: 2m 11.30s

(7)

Expert Witness^t³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Aidan Keeley⁽⁵⁾| T: Sir M Todd| OR: 66

16/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Good fifth of 13 in handicap at this course (8.2f, good to firm, 28/1) 31 days ago. Up in trip. Each-way claims.

Form: 7505

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(8)

Leading Company^v²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: T Eaves| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 66

25/1

11/2 and visored for 1st time, sixth of 8 in handicap at Wetherby (10f, good to firm) 23 days ago, unable to sustain effort. Others more persuasive.

Form: 112-446

(10)

Alhambra Palace²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Hollie Doyle| T: W J Haggas| OR: 65

7/4

Promising sort. 13/2, sixth of 11 in maiden at Carlisle (9f, good to soft) 28 days ago, faring best of those held up. Likely more to come on handicap debut.

Form: 07-6

(11)

I Still Have Faith^h¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: D C Costello| T: B Brookhouse| OR: 65

11/1

Found improvement, in first-time hood, when second of 11 in handicap (6/1) at Haydock (10.2f, good to firm) 14 days ago. Races off same mark here and warrants respect.

Form: 64-4762

(9)

Crosstitch^p⁴⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Ross Coakley| T: J Candlish| OR: 64

33/1

Fourth of 7 in minor event (6/1) at Windsor (10f, heavy) 45 days ago. Fairly treated but still looking for first success.

Form: 4-64424

(4)

Papal Music^t³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: William Cox| T: C G Cox| OR: 64

40/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Tongue strap on for 1st time, respectable fifth of 12 in handicap (10/1) at Kempton (8f) 36 days ago. Up in trip. Work to do on turf debut.

Form: 09235

(2)

Obama Army^p⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: George Bass⁽³⁾| T: J Channon| OR: 64

8/1

Winner at Bath in May. Creditable second of 7 in handicap at Hamilton (8.3f, good to firm, 5/2) 8 days ago. Back up in trip. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 221222

(12)

Going To The Moon²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Jefferson Smith| T: I Mohammed & J Santos| OR: 63

14/1

7/2 and visored for 1st time, good fifth of 10 in handicap at Yarmouth (8f, good to firm) 21 days ago. Back up in trip. Not out of things.

Form: 267-405

(6)

Kamanika¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: James Doyle| T: J Parr| OR: 63| D

5/2

Off the mark at Nottingham (10.2f) in April and run creditably in defeat more recently, latest when fifth of 11 in handicap (9/2) at Haydock (10.2f, good to firm) 14 days ago. Shortlist material.

Form: 9-61435

(1)

Jackie Diamond²⁹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Isobel Francis⁽⁵⁾| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 62

66/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 66/1, sixth of 7 in minor event at Chepstow (6.1f, good to soft). Off 9 months. Significantly up in trip. Makes handicap debut. Difficult ask.

Form: 296-

(13)

Queensland Boy¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Ben Sanderson⁽³⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 62

25/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Third of 10 in minor event at Windsor (10f, good to soft, 300/1) 17 days ago. Makes handicap debut. Should have more to offer.

Form: 703

(3)

Ravigill³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽³⁾| T: A King| OR: 58

50/1

50/1, tenth of 13 in handicap at this course (8.2f, good to firm) 31 days ago, slowly away. Up in trip. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 503-580

(5)

Fougere⁴⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: J Quinn| T: D K Ivory| OR: 58

10/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Good second of 5 in handicap (8/1) at Nottingham (10.2f, heavy) 48 days ago, flattered by proximity. Can make presence felt.

Form: 08-62

Forecasts

Alhambra Palace (7/4), Kamanika (5/2), Obama Army (8/1), Fougere (10/1), I Still Have Faith (11/1), Going To The Moon (14/1), Expert Witness (16/1), Queensland Boy (25/1), Leading Company (25/1), Crosstitch (33/1), Papal Music (40/1), Ravigill (50/1), Jackie Diamond (66/1)

Preference is for KAMANIKA, who figures off a handy mark and had plenty of traffic problems when fifth at Haydock a fortnight ago. Alhambra Palace and I Still Have Faith head the list of dangers.