20:45 Chelmsford City

Thursday 14 August 2025

All18:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Paddy Power Handicap

Off time: 20:46 | Winning time: 2m 5.69s

(5)

Backer Bilk¹²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: S D Bowen| T: James Owen| OR: 58| BF| D

9/4

3/1 and visored for 1st time, creditable second of 9 in handicap at Lingfield (8f, AW), conceding first run. Off 126 days. Back up in trip on debut for new yard and he's a must for the shortlist.

Form: 8-21232

(7)

Night Tara²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 57

5/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Sixth of 10 in maiden at Chepstow (8.1f, good to soft, 50/1) 28 days ago. As they often do from this yard, she can be expected to improve now faced with a stiffer test on this handicap debut.

Form: 996

(3)

Al Baarez⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Faleh Bughenaim| T: H Kobeissi| OR: 55

6/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 5/1, fourth of 6 in handicap at Windsor (8.1f, good to firm) 47 days ago, needing stronger gallop. This stiffer test may help, but he will need to raise his game a touch.

Form: 40-754

(4)

Sansanetti²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: P Cosgrave| T: S C Williams| OR: 54| CD

9/5

C&D winner. 2 wins from 4 runs this year, the latest at Leicester in July. Seventh of 10 in handicap (3/1) at the same course (10f, good) 22 days ago, but she clearly wasn't 100% that day. Not discounted.

Form: 50-9117

(2)

Jack Andrea¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Harry Davies| T: R Eddery| OR: 53

11/1

5/1, respectable third of 8 in handicap at Nottingham (10.2f, soft) 14 days ago. Record now stands at 0-14 and he's likely to again find at least one or two too good.

Form: 585563

(8)

Skyelight²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: J F Egan| T: D K Ivory| OR: 53

20/1

Ninth of 10 in handicap at Wolverhampton (8.6f, 13/2) 23 days ago and this 9-race maiden needs to get back on track.

Form: 53-3659

(6)

Ballarat Bertie^b⁹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Jim Crowley| T: R Hughes| OR: 47

18/1

Winner at Wolverhampton in March. Last of 5 in handicap at Brighton (9.9f, good to firm, 7/1), slowly away. Off 98 days and one or two of the others look stronger.

Form: 441565

Non-Runners

(1)

Savvy Stellar²⁶

Weight: 9-9| Age: 3

T: S Woods J: R Havlin

Forecasts

Sansanetti (9/5), Backer Bilk (9/4), Night Tara (5/1), Al Baarez (6/1), Jack Andrea (11/1), Ballarat Bertie (18/1), Skyelight (20/1), Savvy Stellar (33/1)

With improvement pretty much assured now upped in trip for this handicap debut, NIGHT TARA could be the way to go, particularly if the market speaks in her favour. Backer Bilk has proven to be consistent since switched to handicaps and looks dangerous on his first start for his shrewd new yard, while Sansanetti will also be a threat if over whatever caused her to misfire at Leicester last time.