16:25 Nottingham

Tuesday 26 September 2023

All14:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:0017:35

Grassroots Series Middle Distance Final Handicap

Off time: 16:25 | Winning time: 2m 15.13s

(8)

Golden Maverick¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-12| J: W Buick| T: Ian Williams| OR: 80| D

5/1

Highly progressive this season, picking up his fifth win of the campaign in cosy fashion at Doncaster in July. Solid in-frame efforts the last twice and drop back in trip/grade should help. One to consider.

Form: 111724

(9)

Warren Hill²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: David Egan| T: R Varian| OR: 75| BF| CD

5/1

C&D winner here in August. 2/1, creditable third of 8 in handicap at Bath (11.6f, firm) 20 days ago, arguably shaping best but hanging late. Still looks ahead of her mark.

Form: 9-33213

(11)

Olympicus^h³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Callum Shepherd| T: M Appleby| OR: 69| D

7/1

9/1, career best when winning 10-runner handicap at Newmarket (10f, good to firm) 31 days ago by neck from Hakuna Babe. Still lightly raced and pedigree points to ongoing progress, so worth a chance to go in again.

Form: 49-7541

(3)

Gordon Grey^p1²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: K Stott| T: Ian Williams| OR: 73

11/2

Improved when runner-up on 1¼m Newmarket handicap debut in June. Back on track at Newbury last time and still early days, so could up his game further.

Form: 4-96274

(10)

Damascus Steel^b⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Tom Marquand| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 73| BF| CD

6/1

Latest win at Nottingham in August. Right back on track when third at Pontefract last time and drop back to this distance shouldn't pose any inconvenience.

Form: 142153

(12)

Hakuna Babe³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Rossa Ryan| T: W Jarvis| OR: 73

3/1

Remains a maiden following 7 attempts but she's caught the eye on more than one occasion and was only denied on the line by Olympicus at Newmarket. Strong claims.

Form: 403432

(2)

Nonsuch Lad^p¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Luke Catton⁽⁵⁾| T: J R Boyle| OR: 63| D

14/1

Creditable fourth of 10 in handicap (6/1) at Leicester (10f, soft) 14 days ago, faring best of those ridden prominently. Becoming well treated and can't be ruled out.

Form: 343834

(5)

Jewel Maker¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 63| D

28/1

Back on the scoreboard when taking 11-runner handicap at Redcar (10f, good to firm) in August but has struggled on both subsequent outings. Others make more appeal.

Form: 644170

(6)

Ectocross¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: David Probert| T: S Dow| OR: 62| BF| D

28/1

Winner over 10f at Epsom in July and produced another sound effort at this track when second of 6 over 12f there last time. In good order of late, so expected to be on the premises once more.

Form: 994122

(1)

The Conqueror^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Hayley Turner| T: J R Boyle| OR: 56| D

66/1

Continues out of sorts, sixth of 8 in handicap at Epsom last time. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 750866

(4)

Corsican Caper^b1⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Mia Nicholls⁽⁷⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 58

20/1

Shaped with encouragement on stable debut at this track and, while he's been below form on both subsequent starts, he's worthy of some interest in blinkers for the first time.

Form: 340705

Non-Runners

(7)

Eton College⁴¹

Weight: 9-3| Age: 6

T: J A Osborne J: Nicola Currie

Forecasts

Hakuna Babe (3/1), Golden Maverick (5/1), Warren Hill (5/1), Gordon Grey (11/2), Damascus Steel (6/1), Olympicus (7/1), Eton College (8/1), Nonsuch Lad (14/1), Corsican Caper (20/1), Ectocross (28/1), Jewel Maker (28/1), The Conqueror (66/1)

Having taken a while to come to hand for his current stable, OLYMPICUS put it all together when beating Hakuna Babe at Newmarket last time and, with an excellent pedigree to fall back on, he's taken to improve further and follow up at the possible expense of the same rival. Golden Maverick is another one to consider.