Davies Group Handicap

Off time: 15:06 | Winning time: 1m 1.62s

(5)

Equilateral⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Marquand| T: C Hills| OR: 104| D

8/1

Smart handicap performance to win a big-field event at last year's York Ebor meeting. Hasn't come close to reproducing that form at listed/Group level since but no shock were he to bounce back to form with a bang with his sights lowered.

Form: 0105-05

(6)

Tees Spirit¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Mia Nicholls⁽⁵⁾| T: Adrian Nicholls| OR: 94| D

9/2

Prolific in 2022. Drew a blank in 2023 but got 2024 off to a perfect start when making all in 5f Newmarket handicap in April. Also a creditable fifth of 17 at the York Dante meeting in May but below par twice since.

Form: 9-18580

(4)

Dream Composer^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Joe Leavy⁽⁵⁾| T: H J Evans| OR: 94| CD

13/8

Took this race 12 months ago and back to that form when landing the Epsom Dash (5f, good to soft) 5 weeks ago. A 5 lb rise is unlikely to prevent him making a bold bid for back-to-back wins in this.

Form: 503821

(1)

Graceful Thunder^h1¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: W Buick| T: G Boughey| OR: 96| CD

15/2

Useful at 2, including a C&D win. Bit below that form when fifth in listed races at York and Chantilly this season. Down in grade now and Buick does the steering.

Form: 1136-55

(2)

Navello^p,t⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Grace McEntee⁽³⁾| T: G Boughey| OR: 89| D

7/1

Second win of 2024 when seeing off 9 rivals at Windsor (5f, good to firm) last month and even better form when third of 13 in Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle under Grace McEntee last Friday. Much respected from the same mark.

Form: 0-12513

(3)

Existent²⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Oisin Murphy| T: S C Williams| OR: 87| D

9/2

Losing run is mounting up and he was out of sorts when last seen in the autumn. The positives are he's potentially well handicapped and Oisin Murphy takes the ride but a watching brief is the percentage call after 9 months off.

Form: 265007-

Forecasts

Dream Composer (13/8), Tees Spirit (9/2), Existent (9/2), Navello (7/1), Graceful Thunder (15/2), Equilateral (8/1)

DREAM COMPOSER is taken to defy a 5 lb rise for Epsom and win this for the second year running. Equilateral showed what a class act he is in handicap company at York last summer and is second choice ahead of last Friday's Gosforth Park Cup third Navello.