16:05 Epsom Downs

Sunday 29 September 2024

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap

Off time: 16:07 | Winning time: 2m 12.62s

(1)

If Not Now^b1²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Beckett| OR: 96| D

33/1

Pretty smart handicap performance when third on Lingfield reappearance in May but seemed unsuited by the track when down the field here next time and offered little after a 3-month break when eleventh of 15 (22/1) at Haydock (14f, good) 22 days ago. Drops in trip with blinkers on 1st time.

Form: 158-300

(7)

Arthur's Realm^p¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 89| D

9/1

Scored at Beverley and Redcar (10f, soft) in the spring but hasn't really landed a blow since, again unable to get involved from off the slow gallop when sixth of 11 in handicap at Ayr (10f, good to firm) 10 days ago. Others appeal as likelier winners.

Form: 519546

(6)

Simply Sondheim^p1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: P Cosgrave| T: George Baker| OR: 88| D

20/1

Prolific sort for George Baker but remains winless for current yard, again below his best when fifth of 10 in handicap at Kempton (12f, 14/1) 22 days ago. Free-going sort now has cheekpieces on 1st time but others are preferred.

Form: 3-69485

(8)

Qitaal⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Archie Young⁽⁵⁾| T: C Johnston| OR: 88| D

9/1

Back to form when giving Franny Norton a fairytale farewell ride at Chester (10.3f, heavy) 8 days ago. Plenty panned out in his favour there, but the performance surely rates as a career best, so he's very hard to discount after 9 lb rise.

Form: 346471

(3)

Roarin' Success^p1²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: T E Whelan| T: Harry Charlton| OR: 85

16/1

Placed 4 out of 6 starts this year, most recently when a creditable 1¼ lengths third of 10 to Warda Jamila at Haydock earlier this month. Handicapper perhaps has her measure but she's clearly in good heart and can give another good account with cheekpieces applied.

Form: 220263

(4)

Whiskey Pete²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: H Crouch| T: R M Beckett| OR: 87

1/1

Won a soft-ground handicap (7f) at York last autumn and was back to that sort of form when creditable second of 9 in handicap at Ascot (10f, good to soft, 9/2) 22 days ago. Respected if taking up his engagement here.

Form: 1-P7542

(9)

Fast Steps¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: B R Millman| OR: 79| C| D

15/2

Resumed winning ways with a narrow success at Newbury in July and has held his form admirably well since, again emerging with plenty of credit when fourth of 9 in handicap at Windsor (11.4f, good, 5/2) 13 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 415244

(5)

Winston's Tipple²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 84| D

7/1

Coped better than might have been expected with the emphasis on speed when getting off the mark in a 6-runner novice at Lingfield (10f, AW) 25 days ago. Looks the type to keep improving now handicapping and has to be respected with Murphy aboard.

Form: 3-231

(2)

Dashinwhitesargent³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: S D Bowen⁽³⁾| T: H Morrison| OR: 76| CD

7/1

Looked more straightforward when producing an improved effort to win a 9-runner handicap at this C&D (good) 34 days ago. This is tougher but he remains unexposed at the trip and can't be ruled out.

Form: 2-26141

Forecasts

Whiskey Pete (1/1), Winston's Tipple (7/1), Dashinwhitesargent (7/1), Fast Steps (15/2), Qitaal (9/1), Arthur's Realm (9/1), Roarin' Success (16/1), Simply Sondheim (20/1), If Not Now (33/1)

Andrew Balding's handicap newcomer WINSTON'S TIPPLE appeals as the type to progress further and he can follow up his recent Lingfield succcess at the chief expense of Qitaal, who proved better than ever when scoring at Chester last week. The thoroughly reliable Fast Steps should also be in the mix again.