17:10 Thirsk

Saturday 5 August 2023

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap

Off time: 17:12 | Winning time: 2m 46.88s

(3)

Billy No Mates²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Connor Beasley| T: M Dods| OR: 75| CD

2/1

Landed this race from a 1 lb higher mark 12 months ago. 15/2, respectable third of 9 in handicap at Pontefract (12f, good to soft) 25 days ago, caught further back than ideal. Enters calculations.

Form: 33-7403

(6)

Val Bassett¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 74

11/2

Creditable sixth of 10 in handicap (10/1) at Ayr (10f, good) 19 days ago, ridden 2f out and plugging on. Mark has eased a little more now stepping back up in trip.

Form: 0-77076

(7)

Bollin Margaret^p⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 69| CD

17/2

C&D winner. Won 6-runner handicap at Pontefract (10f, good to soft, 9/2) 6 days ago, leading inside final 1f and eased close home. Big player under a penalty.

Form: 243491

(9)

Oasis Prince^p³³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: J Garritty| T: M Walford| OR: 68

18/1

Temperamental sort. 4/1, below form fourth of 11 in handicap hurdle at Southwell (15.8f, good to soft) 33 days ago. Others more persuasive returned to the level.

Form: 40-4353

(2)

Benadalid¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-8| J: Aiden Brookes⁽⁵⁾| T: C W Fairhurst| OR: 67| D

18/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2021. 15/2, fifth of 8 in handicap at Haydock (10.2f, soft) 14 days ago, losing place 3f out and plodding on. Others more persuasive back up in trip.

Form: 58-2445

(4)

Aegis Power^p,t1⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: S H James| T: T D Easterby| OR: 67

40/1

14/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, seventh of 8 in handicap at Haydock (11.6f, good to firm) 57 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 2536-57

(1)

Easter Island⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Harrison Shaw| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 67

40/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 200/1, seventh of 10 in maiden at Newcastle (10.2f) 75 days ago, never better than midfield and not knocked about. In good hands and improvement distinctly possible now going handicapping up in trip.

Form: 93-7

(5)

Edge Of Darkness⁷⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: J Mitchell| T: C Johnston| OR: 74| CD

4/1

Australia gelding who left reappearance run in his wake to land 7-runner C&D novice in May, leading under pressure 3f out and ridden out. Type yard do well with in staying handicaps.

Form: 4443-61

(8)

Cosmic Soul¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: P J McDonald| T: James Horton| OR: 73

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden. Respectable fifth of 10 in handicap at Doncaster (11.9f, soft, 4/1) 14 days ago, weakening over 1f out. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 5435

(10)

Glittering Choice^t,v²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: T Eaves| T: H Palmer| OR: 63

20/1

Creditable second of 9 in handicap at Carlisle (11.2f, good to soft, 14/1) 23 days ago, no match for the winner but nicely clear of the remainder. One to consider operating from same mark.

Form: 6-24472

Forecasts

Billy No Mates (2/1), Edge Of Darkness (4/1), Cosmic Soul (9/2), Val Bassett (11/2), Bollin Margaret (17/2), Benadalid (18/1), Oasis Prince (18/1), Glittering Choice (20/1), Aegis Power (40/1), Easter Island (40/1)

BILLY NO MATES again shaped better than the bare result (caught further back than ideal) over shorter at Pontefract 6 days ago and, arriving here 1 lb below the mark off which he tasted success in this race 12 months ago, he could well be the answer. Glittering Choice and comfortable Pontefract scorer Bollin Margaret head up the dangers, with handicap debutant Easter Island one to note in the betting.