Showcasing Standing At Whitsbury Manor Bibury Cup Handicap (GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 16:58 | Winning time: 2m 33.93s

(1)

Tremorgio^p⁸⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: D C Costello| T: C Appleby| OR: 88| D

3/1

Won 1¼m Newmarket maiden last autumn and followed up in 1½m Southwell novice in February. Looked a bit awkward under pressure when third in another Southwell novice in April. Given 12 weeks off ahead of this handicap debut back on turf.

Form: 1-13

(5)

Cape Breton²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: H Crouch| T: R M Beckett| OR: 82

1/1

Bagged 1m novice at Lingfield in November before returning with a very good second of 6 in handicap at Ascot (1¼m, firm) in May. Only sixth at York (1¼m again) since but early days and this step up to 1½m should play to his strengths.

Form: 451-26

(4)

Middle Ages^p1³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Tom Marquand| T: A M Balding| OR: 77| D

9/2

Camelot colt who left last summer's debut behind when landing the odds in a 1½m Ripon maiden (good to firm) on reappearance in April. Found it tougher under a penalty at Newmarket since but retains potential for handicaps. Wears first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 8-16

(3)

Patsy Snugfit^p¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: J Mitchell| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 76| C

11/2

Reacted well to cheekpieces when off the mark in 1¼m course handicap (good to firm) last month. Another sound effort here (1¼m again) when fourth of 10 15 days ago. Claims if as effective over this longer trip.

Form: 925-814

Non-Runners

(2)

Criminal²⁹

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: R Hughes J: Donagh Murphy

Forecasts

Cape Breton (1/1), Tremorgio (3/1), Criminal (3/1), Middle Ages (9/2), Patsy Snugfit (11/2)

Only 5 runners but it looks a tricky affair in which a case can be made for all. MIDDLE AGES has cheekpieces added for his handicap debut and gets the narrow vote with the Andrew Balding team in such good form. If Patsy Snugfit can translate her good 1¼m course form to the longer trip she may provide the chief threat ahead of Cape Breton, who shapes as if he will benefit from the step up to 1½m.