20:15 Doncaster

Saturday 22 July 2023

All18:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Hird Group Handicap (Rnd)

Off time: 20:27 | Winning time: 1m 43.76s

(6)

Back From Dubai³²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-13| J: J Fanning| T: K Frost| OR: 61| CD

8/1

C&D winner. 9/2, career best when winning 9-runner handicap at Beverley (7.4f, soft) 32 days ago, driven clear. Another bold show anticipated.

Form: 352841

(7)

Kodebreaker¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Jason Hart| T: M Herrington| OR: 60| D

7/1

Good second of 9 in handicap (7/2) at Leicester (8.2f, good to firm) 14 days ago, clear of rest. Not without each-way hope.

Form: 323642

(4)

Powerful Response⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: T Eaves| T: E Bethell| OR: 66| D

9/2

Two wins from 4 runs this year. Career best when winning 8-runner handicap at Hamilton (8.3f, soft, 7/2) 7 days ago, comfortably. 4 lb higher now but he's evidently going the right way.

Form: 96-9911

(1)

War Defender^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Sean Kirrane⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 58| D

7/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2022. 12/1, creditable fourth of 12 in handicap at Musselburgh (9f, good) 17 days ago. Very much of interest back down in trip off the same mark.

Form: 9-60754

(8)

Free Step²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Hayley Turner| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 57| D

12/1

One win from 3 runs this year. Creditable third of 8 in handicap at Yarmouth (8f, good, 3/1) 22 days ago. Each-way shout.

Form: 100-143

(9)

Mudlahhim⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Elisha Whittington⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 54

28/1

Twenty-three runs since last win in 2022. 5/1, creditable fourth of 10 in handicap at Yarmouth (8f, good to firm) 51 days ago. Likely to find a few too good once more. Yard also represented by Gypsy Whisper.

Form: 730334

(10)

Zafaan¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: H Crouch| T: K P De Foy| OR: 62| BF| CD

17/2

C&D winner. Winner here in May. 9/4 and hooded for 1st time, fourth of 7 in handicap at Yarmouth (10.1f, good) 16 days ago. Back down in and he enters calculations.

Form: 49-6014

(2)

Maffeo Barberini¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Alec Voikhansky⁽⁵⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 54| D

11/1

Fifth of 7 in handicap at Leicester (10f, good to firm, 10/1) 14 days ago. Back down in trip and needs to raise his game. Yard saddles a stronger candidate in Back From Dubai.

Form: 0-06585

(11)

Medina Gold²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 60

25/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 100/1, sixth of 11 in minor event at Windsor (8.1f, good to firm) 26 days ago. Improvement needed on this handicap debut.

Form: 686

(13)

Lockdown Lass⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Josephine Gordon| T: G Hanmer| OR: 52| C

9/2

Course winner. Career best when winning 11-runner handicap (9/1) at Chester (7f, soft) 8 days ago, driven out. 2lb rise fair enough and she's not discounted.

Form: 0-33501

(3)

Big Dutchie^p³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: L Morris| T: Steph Hollinshead| OR: 45

66/1

Remains a maiden after 23 Flat runs. 20/1, seventh of 8 in handicap at Nottingham (10.2f, good to firm) 37 days ago. Back down in trip and he's essentially opposable.

Form: 547697

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

(12)

Handel¹⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 5

T: C Banham J: Joey Haynes

(5)

Gypsy Whisper²²

Weight: 9-6| Age: 6

T: S Dixon J: D Swift

Forecasts

Lockdown Lass (9/2), Powerful Response (9/2), War Defender (7/1), Kodebreaker (7/1), Handel (7/1), Back From Dubai (8/1), Zafaan (17/2), Maffeo Barberini (11/1), Free Step (12/1), Gypsy Whisper (14/1), Medina Gold (25/1), Mudlahhim (28/1), Big Dutchie (66/1)

The vote goes to WAR DEFENDER, who has slipped to an attractive mark and dropping back in trip here will aid his cause after weakening close home when fourth over 9f at Musselburgh recently. Back From Dubai resumed winning ways at Beverley and is next on the list ahead of the hat-trick seeking Powerful Response and the consistent Kodebreaker.