19:20 Windsor

Saturday 26 August 2023

All17:1517:5018:2018:5019:2019:50

Sky Sports Racing HD Virgin 519 Handicap

Off time: 19:24 | Winning time: 1m 41.73s

(9)

One Step Beyond⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Anna Gibson⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 79| D

13/2

Three wins from 6 runs this year. 12/1, career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Ascot (8f, good) 43 days ago, readily. More needed up 6 lb here but he's a player nonetheless.

Form: 221131

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(5)

Halla Dubai⁶⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: R Kingscote| T: Owen Burrows| OR: 82

3/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 5/2, fourth of 6 in handicap at Goodwood (8f, good) 64 days ago, finding little. It's still early days for this 3-y-o but improvement is certainly needed.

Form: 6224

(1)

Global Esteem¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: P J Dobbs| T: J Gallagher| OR: 74| D

8/1

Twelve runs since last win in 2022. Respectable fifth of 13 in handicap at Brighton (8f, good, 13/2) 17 days ago. Booking of Dobbs a plus and shouldn't be far away.

Form: 736375

(7)

Morcar³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Alec Voikhansky⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hannon| OR: 79| C

11/2

Lightly-raced winner. Successful here in June. 8/1, last of 7 in handicap at Sandown (10f, good to soft) 31 days ago. Others make greater appeal for win purposes.

Form: 0-8417

(4)

Flatley¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Finley Marsh| T: A Wintle| OR: 72

20/1

Sixth of 9 in handicap (22/1) at Haydock (7.2f, good) 14 days ago and likely to come up short once more.

Form: 5615-76

(8)

Grey Fox^p,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Laura Pearson| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 72| CD

15/2

Three-time C&D winner. Good third of 12 in handicap (13/2) at Sandown (8f, good to soft) 16 days ago, caught further back than ideal. Leading claims off the same mark back here with faster ground likely.

Form: 6-45533

(2)

Star Player¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: K P De Foy| OR: 77| BF| CD

5/2

C&D winner. 6/4, respectable fourth of 9 in handicap at Redcar (8f, good to firm) 14 days ago. Down 2 lb and should make his presence felt.

Form: 21-7274

(3)

Ludo's Landing^v¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: F Norton| T: C Johnston| OR: 76| D

16/1

Latest win at Carlisle in June. Fourth of 5 in handicap at Ayr (10f, good, 33/1) 19 days ago. Visor back on and this gelding needs to raise his game.

Form: 618064

Non-Runners

(6)

Ascari²⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: H Morrison J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Star Player (5/2), Halla Dubai (3/1), Morcar (11/2), One Step Beyond (13/2), Grey Fox (15/2), Global Esteem (8/1), Ascari (10/1), Ludo's Landing (16/1), Flatley (20/1)

The vote goes to multiple C&D winner GREY FOX, who left the strong impression that his turn is again near when third at Sandown where he did well to finish as close as he did, given how far back he was when the race began in earnest. Star Player failed to reward his supporters at Redcar a fortnight ago but a reproduction of his Pontefract effort in June would put him firmly in the picture, while Global Esteem and the in-form One Step Beyond are others to consider.