15:45 Pontefract

Thursday 21 September 2023

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

British EBF Premier Fillies' Handicap

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 1m 16.51s

(5)

Kitai³²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: K Stott| T: C Johnston| OR: 91| CD

7/2

C&D winner. 2 wins from 6 runs this year. Latest win here in July. Below form 9½ lengths sixth of 11 to Believing in listed race at this C&D (good, 9/2) 32 days ago. Perhaps a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 741106

(6)

Unequal Love²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 90| BF| D

2/1

Promising sort. 3 wins from 5 runs this year. Latest win at Haydock in August. 4/1, below form tenth of 18 in handicap at York (7f, good to firm) 28 days ago. May well resume her progress now back in calmer waters.

Form: 41110

(7)

Glorious Angel⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Oliver Stammers| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 87| D

11/2

Three wins from 15 runs this year. Creditable second of 7 in handicap at Chester (6.1f, soft, 12/1) 5 days ago. Likely to give another good account of herself. Yard also saddles Mersea.

Form: 305522

(3)

Minnetonka¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 84| D

9/2

Career best when winning 12-runner handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f, 8/1) 14 days ago, kept up to work. Remains on an attractive mark up 4 lb and she has to enter calculations.

Form: 876041

(4)

Hello Queen⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Shane Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 83| D

6/1

Lightly-raced winner. 3 wins from 4 runs this year. 15/2, career best when winning 7-runner handicap at Doncaster (6f, soft) 56 days ago. More on her plate up 4 lb here but she has the look of a potentially useful sprinter.

Form: 4-1181

(2)

Shandy Star²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Jonny Peate⁽³⁾| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 82| CD

20/1

C&D winner. First run since leaving Roger Fell when seventh of 11 in handicap at Carlisle (5.8f, good, 12/1) 21 days ago. Looks vulnerable.

Form: 03817-7

(1)

Mersea²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 78| D

12/1

Latest win at Carlisle in August. 13/2, good third of 11 in handicap at Carlisle (5f, good) 20 days ago. Step back up to this trip will be in her favour and she's dangerous to discount.

Form: 3-04513

Forecasts

Unequal Love (2/1), Kitai (7/2), Minnetonka (9/2), Glorious Angel (11/2), Hello Queen (6/1), Mersea (12/1), Shandy Star (20/1)

It was probably a case of too much too soon for UNEQUAL LOVE at the York Ebor meeting where she finished down the field in a valuable, big-field handicap last month. The Dutch Art filly was progressing nicely prior to that and is taken to get back on track here. This will be no stroll in the park though, as Minnetonka and Hello Queen both arrive here on the back career-best performances, while the Grant Tuer-trained pair, Glorious Angel and Mersea, are also accorded respect.