14:10 Newmarket

Saturday 26 August 2023

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3217:03

JenningsBet Handicap

Off time: 14:15 | Winning time: 2m 4.82s

(1)

Outsmart^b1¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: N Callan| T: Ollie Pears| OR: 70| D

9/1

Produced his best effort of the season so far when fourth in a 10-runner Beverley handicap (1¼m, good to firm) recently. Down another 1 lb and now tried in blinkers but looks vulnerable for win purposes all the same.

Form: 20-0904

(4)

Snapcracklepop^b,t¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: W Muir & C Grassick| OR: 69

12/1

Now 2 lb lower than when last getting his head in front at Windsor 12 months ago and couple of decent efforts to his name this season. However, he failed to get competitive at Chepstow last time and may again find a few too good.

Form: 643548

(7)

Olympicus^h³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Callum Shepherd| T: M Appleby| OR: 66

9/1

Fair ex-Irish maiden and has performed with credit in handicaps with a hood enlisted at Doncaster and Sandown the last twice, latterly finishing well back up to this trip. Each-way chance.

Form: 849-754

(9)

Blue Universe⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: A Mullen| T: C Johnston| OR: 72

9/2

Much improved on return from wind surgery when shading a tight finish at Wolverhampton in April. Yet to get his head in front on turf but there wasn't much wrong with his C&D third last weekend and likely to be in the mix.

Form: 120573

(8)

Total Lockdown^h⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Darragh Keenan| T: Martin Dunne| OR: 65| CD

40/1

Shared the spoils in a C&D handicap off a 3 lb higher mark last summer but he's hard to warm to judged on what he's shown in 4 appearances this year.

Form: 60-8667

(3)

Kristal Klear^p⁵⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Ross Coakley| T: H Palmer| OR: 71WS

15/2

Showed ability at 2 yrs and creditable efforts in 1m handicaps at Haydock and Carlisle earlier this season. However, she didn't appear to get home upped to this trip at Haydock last time (since undergone a wind op), so it's easy to have reservations.

Form: 529-346

(10)

Hakuna Babe²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: W Jarvis| OR: 71| BF

4/1

Remains a maiden following 6 attempts but she's caught the eye on more than one occasion, not least when third at Sandown (9f, heavy) last time. Now 1 lb lower and back on better ground, she's one to be interested in.

Form: 4-40343

(6)

Expert Witness^t⁵⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Harry Davies| T: Sir M Todd| OR: 67

12/1

Found some improvement for the step up to this trip when a close third of 13 to the re-opposing Kamanika at Leicester (good) in June. That represents decent form and he's one to consider with Harry Davies in the hot-seat.

Form: 75053

(2)

Ashmore^p1¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Benoit D L Sayette| T: D Menuisier| OR: 66

16/1

Still seeking his first taste of success and he has failed to make much of an impact on his last 2 starts. Still, he has twice performed with credit in 1m handicaps off higher marks this season amd could have a part to play if coping with this step up in trip.

Form: 520498

(5)

Kamanika³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Marco Ghiani| T: J Parr| OR: 65| BF| D

7/2

Has held her form well so far this term, scoring at Nottingham and Leicester over this trip. Though a winner on soft, she didn't look entirely at home under such conditions when fourth at Sandown last time and she's not discounted with better ground forecast.

Form: 143514

Forecasts

Kamanika (7/2), Hakuna Babe (4/1), Blue Universe (9/2), Kristal Klear (15/2), Olympicus (9/1), Outsmart (9/1), Expert Witness (12/1), Snapcracklepop (12/1), Ashmore (16/1), Total Lockdown (40/1)

HAKUNA BABE almost certainly has races in her off this sort of mark and is taken to back up that theory by opening her account at the seventh attempt. Next on the list is Blue Universe, who put in a good shift over C&D off this mark last weekend. Expert Witness raised her game when third to Kamanika at Leicester and she also enters calculations, along with Ashmore.