18:35 Perth

Saturday 17 August 2024

All15:5516:3017:0517:3518:0518:3519:0519:35

Scone Estates Stone Of Destiny Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:37 | Winning time: 3m 52.07s

Enthused^v⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Alex Chadwick⁽⁵⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 122| D

17/2

Thrived over hurdles last autumn and in a change of headgear, he cranked it up another notch when landing 10-runner handicap at Uttoxeter last month. Backed that up with a sound runner-up finish back on the level at Newmarket so he's on the shortlist.

Form: 911P-91

Castel Gandolfo^b,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien| OR: 122| D

4/1

Cemented superb record at Market Rasen when landing a valuable pot 4 weeks ago, all out to hold on. Raised 5 lb but he's clearly in excellent nick.

Form: 496-831

Oslo^p²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Liam Harrison| T: F O'Brien| OR: 120| BF| D

10/1

Produced a career best to land a 9-runner handicap hurdle at Huntingdon (2m, good) in April. Didn't get the chance to show what he could do off his revised mark at Bangor since (brought down third) but last month's Uttoxeter third another sound performance.

Form: 6251-B3

Chaos Control^p²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Charlie Hammond| T: S Edmunds| OR: 118

7/1

Fairly useful performer on Flat who notched second success over hurdles (both at Market Rasen) in June. Fund the Summer Hurdle a bit much back at that venue last time but weighted to finish a little closer to Castle Gandolfo this time.

Form: 375-417

Cuban Cigar^b,t⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 115| D

12/1

Successful at Musselburgh in November and, after a below-par effort next time, has made the frame on his next 5 starts. Flat efforts this summer hardly brimming with promise but fitness is assured.

Form: 93342-3

King's Castle^t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryan Carver| T: J Scott| OR: 114| D

11/1

Fairly useful performer at best on the Flat who is going the right way over hurdles, again travelling powerfully when completing the 4-timer at Market Rasen a month ago. Assessor reacted with 6 lb rise bit he's thriving and hard to know his limit.

Form: 43-1111

Cirque Royal^t²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: Gerald Quinn| OR: 113| CD

12/1

Irish raider who won maiden/novice hurdles over 2m in Britain in May 2022. Easy to back and caught the eye on return from a year off at Uttoxeter last month. Could come on plenty for that.

Form: 153/74-8

Scots Poet^t²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: B S Hughes| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 111| CD

17/2

Returned to winning ways at Musselburgh on New Year's Day and bounced back from a poor run when finding plenty to score over C&D in April. Subsequent efforts suggest the assessor has his about right.

Form: 101-404

Kinbara Firstdraft⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 111| CD

9/1

Much improved when making a winning handicap debut over C&D in June, kept up to work. Raised 6 lb but in good hands and further progress cannot be ruled out.

Form: 5/587-31

Well Planted^p³⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: D R Fox| T: R M Smith| OR: 111| CD

28/1

C&D winner who didn't really take to chasing at the first attempt here in May but more like it when third in over hurdles early last month. Rare poor effort at Perth 10 days later, though that was a rather messy race.

Form: 265-439

Here Comes Georgie¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: P Neville| OR: 110

33/1

Fair hurdler who got off the mark in 10-runner novice at Carlisle (17f, soft) in December. Disappointed when well beaten at Catterick the following month and made an inauspicious handicap/chase debut in May. Off since.

Form: F9216-P

Annie Agnew⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Alex Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: Gerald Quinn| OR: 108

9/2

Confirmed the promise of her hurdling debut when winning 8-runner juvenile hurdle at Down Royal (16.9f) quickening 2 out and just holding on. Excellent second on handicap debut last month, pulling well clear of the rest and she can improve again.

Form: 21-2

Forecasts

Castel Gandolfo (4/1), Annie Agnew (9/2), Chaos Control (7/1), Enthused (17/2), Scots Poet (17/2), Kinbara Firstdraft (9/1), Oslo (10/1), King's Castle (11/1), Cuban Cigar (12/1), Cirque Royal (12/1), Well Planted (28/1), Here Comes Georgie (33/1)

Gerald Stephen Quinn has a couple of very interesting contenders in ANNIE AGNEW and Cirque Royal. The latter caught the eye on return and has dropped to an attractive mark but the former boasts plenty of scope for improvement so is just preferred. Of the rest, Castle Gandolfo and the thriving King's Castle have to command respect.