17:50 Leicester

Saturday 8 July 2023

All14:5515:3016:0716:4217:1717:50

Curve Theatre Handicap

Off time: 17:50 | Winning time: 1m 43.47s

(1)

Graffiti³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Liam Wright⁽⁷⁾| T: G Brown| OR: 61| D

9/2

1 win from 2 runs this year. 7/2, career best when winning 8-runner handicap at Nottingham (8.3f, firm) 31 days ago, overcoming pace bias. Can make presence felt.

Form: 7543-21

(3)

Blue Collar Lad³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Billy Loughnane⁽³⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 61| D

10/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, improved on recent efforts to win 13-runner handicap at Lingfield (7f, good to firm, 12/1) 35 days ago, driven clear. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 326901

(2)

Victoria Falls^v²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Ross Coakley| T: H Palmer| OR: 61

4/1

Winner at Wolverhampton in March. Good fourth of 9 in handicap (5/1) at Ayr (8f, firm) 25 days ago, left with too much to do. Can go well again.

Form: 124334

(8)

Eagle Eyed Freddie^p,t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: M Appleby| OR: 60| D

8/1

3 wins from 7 runs this year. 11/4, career best when winning 4-runner claimer at Catterick (7f, good to firm) 36 days ago, just holding on. Needs considering.

Form: 199171

(4)

Kodebreaker¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: J Mitchell| T: M Herrington| OR: 58| D

7/2

Suffered a poor run when fourth of 9 in handicap (6/1) at Redcar (7f, good to firm) 15 days ago. Well in the mix eased 1 lb.

Form: 232364

(9)

Kenilworth King^p¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: George Downing| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 58

22/1

Creditable fifth of 10 in handicap at Wolverhampton (8.6f, 5/1) 12 days ago. Cheekpieces back on. Can give a good account.

Form: 749625

(5)

Al Hargah^b²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Alec Voikhansky⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hannon| OR: 62

16/1

18/1 and blinkered for 1st time, last of 8 in handicap at Lingfield (10f, good to firm) 28 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 840-648

(10)

Rhea Of The Year^v1⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Darragh Keenan| T: R Eddery| OR: 48

50/1

8/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, last of 6 in handicap at Windsor (11.4f, good to firm) 7 days ago. Back down in trip. Visored for 1st time.

Form: 68-6086

(6)

Gypsy Nation⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Theodore Ladd| T: M Appleby| OR: 45

11/4

Blinkered for 1st time, bit below form fifth of 11 in handicap at Wolverhampton (8.6f, 13/2) 46 days ago. Makes turf debut. First run for yard after leaving Archie Watson and not discounted.

Form: 677455

Non-Runners

(7)

Royal Prospect⁸

Weight: 9-9| Age: 8

T: L A Mullaney J: Barry McHugh

(11)

Fantastic Artist¹²

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: A Stronge J: Dane O'Neill

Forecasts

Gypsy Nation (11/4), Kodebreaker (7/2), Victoria Falls (4/1), Graffiti (9/2), Eagle Eyed Freddie (8/1), Blue Collar Lad (10/1), Royal Prospect (12/1), Al Hargah (16/1), Fantastic Artist (20/1), Kenilworth King (22/1), Rhea Of The Year (50/1)

Little between the principals on form but GRAFFITI did well to overcome a pace bias when scoring at Nottingham and is taken to follow up at the chief expense of Lingfield scorer Blue Collar Lad. Kodebreaker didn't enjoy the rub of the green when fourth at Redcar and can have a say too in a very open contest.