14:25 Brighton

Thursday 10 August 2023

All14:2515:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

Star Insurance Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 1m 23.56s

(8)

Little Boy Blue^p,t²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Paddy Bradley| T: W G M Turner| OR: 81| CD

9/2

4-time course winner. Latest win at Chepstow in June. First below-par effort of the season when sixth of 8 in handicap (4/1) at Epsom (7f, good to firm) 21 days ago. Type to bounce back quickly.

Form: 0-03136

(6)

Matty Too^v⁵⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Morgan Cole⁽⁵⁾| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 80| D

9/2

Six wins from 21 Flat runs. 2 wins from 3 runs this year. 6/4, career best when winning 6-runner handicap at Chepstow (7.1f, good to firm) 55 days ago. Clearly thriving and makes plenty of appeal again here.

Form: 691-811

(3)

Granary Queen⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Harry Davies| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 75| CD

9/2

C&D winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2022. 18/1, respectable fifth of 13 in handicap at Goodwood (6f, good to soft) 9 days ago, nearest finish. Regular slow starts mean others are more persuasive.

Form: 242365

(5)

Golden Passport^p1⁴³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Planas⁽³⁾| T: E Walker| OR: 77| D

7/2

Respectable fourth of 10 in handicap at Kempton (8f, 7/1) 43 days ago, suited by way race developed. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Not taken lightly for in-form yard.

Form: 41-3564

(7)

Dartman¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: William Carver| T: B J Meehan| OR: 74

17/2

Consistent maiden again ran creditably when fourth of 16 in handicap at York (7f, good) 12 days ago. Still looks somewhatin the grip of the handicapper but should give another good account.

Form: 5344-54

(1)

Poetic Force¹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Mollie Phillips| T: A W Carroll| OR: 68| C| D

9/1

Course winner. 3 wins from 14 runs this year. Tenth of 13 in handicap at this course (8f, good, 11/1) 1 day ago. Others have achieved more.

Form: 664630

(2)

Bonkersinabundance³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Aidan Keeley| T: R Varian| OR: 68| CD

5/1

Found improvement for the step up in trip when winning 7-runner handicap at this C&D (good) 30 days ago. Can give another good account from 4 lb higher mark.

Form: 881641

Non-Runners

(4)

Evocative Spark¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: Darryll Holland J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Golden Passport (7/2), Granary Queen (9/2), Matty Too (9/2), Little Boy Blue (9/2), Bonkersinabundance (5/1), Dartman (17/2), Poetic Force (9/1), Evocative Spark (14/1)

MATTY TOO should prove capable of completing the hat-trick after winning at Yarmouth and Chepstow in June, a 5 lb rise unlikely to prove overfacing to Ed Dunlop's upwardly-mobile gelding. Little Boy Blue has a good record over C&D and is most feared, with last-time-out winner Bonkersinabundance and Golden Passport also worth considering.