15:10 Newmarket

Thursday 20 August 2026

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:51

Come Racing Handicap

Off time: 15:12 | Winning time: 1m 38.11s

(1)

Potomac River¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: J P Spencer| T: T Kent| OR: 70

6/1

Made steady progress in maiden/novice events last year but has failed to kick on from that in 4 handicap outings this season, left with a lot to do from a difficult draw when fourth of 11 at Haydock (7f, good to firm) earlier in the month.

Form: 23-6764

(7)

Wield²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: J Parr| OR: 74

100/1

Signed off for Andrew Balding with good second in 7f Newmarket maiden in April but has beaten only one home in a couple of handicaps since (latest after a gelding operation).

Form: 4-3250

(5)

Mertoun²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Rob Hornby| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 73| BF| D

7/2

Much improved sent handicapping upped to 1m, off the mark in good style at Windsor in June and comfortably following up at Carlisle early last month. Confirmed that improvement when fourth of 7 over C&D recently and he may well not have finished progressing just yet.

Form: 8-92114

(2)

Glen Nevis¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: J Mitchell| T: C Johnston| OR: 73

9/4

Matched previous form despite seeming unsuited by the track when fourth of 9 in handicap at Brighton (1m, good) just over a fortnight ago, hanging left when ridden 2f out. Handicapper drops him another couple, but others make more appeal.

Form: 24394

(3)

Venetian Lion^t¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Harry Davies| T: W J Haggas| OR: 72| D

9/4

Confirmed the improvement shown on handicap debut when winning 5-runner handicap at Nottingham (8.3f, firm) earlier in the month, a slow gallop masking his superiority over all bar the runner-up. Open to further progress so looks capable of following up.

Form: 79621

(8)

Legacy Rock^t⁵¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Toby Moore⁽⁷⁾| T: Dr R Newland| OR: 71| D

9/1

Has benefited from the step up to 1m, recording back-to-back wins at Windsor in May. Good effort in defeat when runner-up at Nottingham later that month but not so good when last of 6 at Salisbury since. Probably needs further respite from the assessor.

Form: 941126

(4)

Big Alex Walmsley^h¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Benoit D L Sayette| T: Mrs I G-Leveque| OR: 58

16/1

Maiden who ran one of his better efforts in a first-time hood when third of 5 in handicap at Yarmouth (1m) early last month. Ran to a similar level upped to 1¼m there earlier in the month and the handicapper drops him another 2 lb ahead of this return to 1m.

Form: 490-733

Non-Runners

(6)

Calyxoh⁶

Weight: 9-11| Age: 4

T: P Morris J: Ashley Lewis

Forecasts

Venetian Lion (9/4), Glen Nevis (9/4), Mertoun (7/2), Potomac River (6/1), Calyxoh (6/1), Legacy Rock (9/1), Big Alex Walmsley (16/1), Wield (100/1)

It's hard to get away from VENETIAN LION, who opened his account on second handicap start at Nottingham recently and William Haggas' 3-y-o is open to further improvement. Mertoun has proved a different beast since sent handicapping upped to 1m, so he looks the one to give the selection most to think about, with Calyxoh rounding off the shortlist.