16:55 York

Saturday 15 July 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

John Smith's Stayers' Handicap

Off time: 16:57 | Winning time: 3m 35.52s

(12)

Land Of Winter^b²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: Rae Guest| OR: 81| D

11/2

Winless since 2021 but he comes here in good nick, posting creditable efforts in defeat with blinkers enlisted at Chester and Pontefract (both at around 2¼m) the last twice. Place possibilities with Andrea Atzeni booked.

Form: 06-6453

(8)

Malakahna^p,t¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽³⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 80| BF| D

7/2

Won at Ascot and Newmarket on final 2 starts in 2022. Following a fruitless stint over hurdles, she has resumed in this sphere with a couple of good efforts in 2m Chester handicaps and it would be no surprise if she's on the premises once more.

Form: 2611-32

(5)

Sophiesticate⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: William Pyle⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 72

15/2

Back on the scoreboard when landing a 6-runner handicap at Musselburgh (12.5f, good) last month. By no means disgraced both starts since but she will need to improve for this sizeable step up in trip if she's to emerge on top here.

Form: 480135

(4)

Tendentious²⁸⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 71| D

18/1

Hit the target upped to this trip on his 2022 reappearance at Doncaster. However, he was rather in-and-out thereafter and looks vulnerable back from a 9-month absence.

Form: 104208-

(10)

Robert Johnson¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Connor Beasley| T: P A Kirby| OR: 71| D

11/4

Straightforward type who arrives here on a high, winning 4 of his last 5 starts. Has inevitably climbed the weights as a consequence but he appeared to have a bit left up his sleeve at Musselburgh (2m, good to firm) recently and a 3 lb rise may not be enough to stop him in his tracks.

Form: 011411

(9)

Punxsutawney Phil^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Ben Robinson| T: B Ellison| OR: 69| D

12/1

Winner at Wolverhampton in December but has largely struggled since and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 795035

(2)

Sharp Distinction^t³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Tom Marquand| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 69

8/1

Benefited from going up in distance when runner-up final two outings in 2022, and shaped well when third of 11 back from a 5-month break at Kempton (2m). Definite chance off the same mark here if able to reproduce that form now returned to turf.

Form: 7622-63

(7)

At The Double¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Darragh Keenan| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 67| D

10/1

Won 3 times last season but looked decidedly recalcitrant in a first-time visor on return at Lingfield last month. Much more like it with headgear discarded at Newmarket (2m, good) since, albeit he again didn't look straightforward.

Form: 2117-83

(3)

Hellenista^p⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 8-4| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 60| D

14/1

Best effort for a while when second in an 8-runner handicap at Carlisle (17.2f, good to soft) last month, leaving the impression that her turn is probably near. This is a tougher race but she's considered all the same.

Form: 9864-52

Non-Runners

(11)

Single²¹

Weight: 9-9| Age: 6

T: J Channon J: George Bass

(1)

Glasses Up¹⁴

Weight: 8-9| Age: 8

T: R M Smith J: Non Runner

(6)

Kalamity Kitty³⁸

Weight: 8-8| Age: 5

T: E De Giles J: Cieren Fallon

Forecasts

Robert Johnson (11/4), Malakahna (7/2), Land Of Winter (11/2), Kalamity Kitty (11/2), Sophiesticate (15/2), Sharp Distinction (8/1), At The Double (10/1), Single (10/1), Punxsutawney Phil (12/1), Hellenista (14/1), Tendentious (18/1), Glasses Up (20/1)

SHARP DISTINCTION is still a maiden but there were positives to glean from his latest effort at Kempton and, if he puts his best foot forward back on turf, a deserved first taste of success could be on the way. Robert Johnson is clearly thriving and rates the main danger, while Kalamity Kitty, who was hot on the heels of the selection at Kempton, is also high on the shortlist. Malakahna is another with decent claims.