With so many open to improvement, it's hard to be confident about who will find the most today, but ANNIVERSARY looked a good prospect for this sort of trip when he chased home Many Men at Newmarket in October. Rahiebb should be set for a prominent display if the ground is thought suitable, which it wasn't in last week's Lingfield Derby Trial. Novelista (second choice) should be set for better this season but is another of the many in this field with a question to answer on fast ground. Merchant, however, made late gains over 1m2f on good to firm 11 days ago.[Richard Austen]
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Won a maiden at Newmarket (1m, good) on debut and runner-up on his two other starts as 2yo, latterly to Many Men in a six-runner nursery at Newmarket (1m2f, heavy; gelded since); shaped that day as if 1m4f+ will suit him well and that he's the type to make further progress.
Won debut at Newcastle (1m, AW) in March and runner-up in two more novice races; made most at Haydock (11.6f, good) latest but was picked off by a good prospect in the final strides; withdrawn from Lingfield Derby Trial last Saturday when the ground was officially good to firm; should figure prominently on handicap debut if the ground is suitable.
1-6 for a Chelmsford maiden (1m2f, AW) on reappearance but had to work to land the odds; last summer's form on turf (three seconds) was better but his return to good ground for handicap debut at Doncaster (1m2f) on latest start proved disappointing, leading until over 1f out; a revival is needed but he should stay if he settles.
Three wins on AW this January/February, latterly on handicap debut when upped to 1m3f at Kempton, but that improvement ran out of steam when a close third of four at Wolverhampton (1m4f) on latest start; needs to resume progress on this second turf outing.
Edged it in the second of two very close finishes over about 1m on AW in December; failed to justify 11-10 favouritism in seven-runner handicap at Newmarket (1m2f, good to firm) on reappearance 11 days ago but kept edging closer to go down by a length and 1m4f now seems plausible.
Made most and won by a neck in a good scrap at Ayr (1m, good) last October in his second novice event; 18-1 when put very firmly in his place in Listed event at Newmarket (1m1f, good to soft) on reappearance and this handicap debut looks far more realistic, with fair claims to stay the extra 3f.
Ended last term with a 1m2f handicap win at Newmarket (soft; from Anniversary) and started this one with another at Doncaster (good; Pantile Warrior fourth); both were under Jack Doughty; up another 6lb to this mark when creditable fifth of 12 at Sandown (1m2f, good) three weeks ago, never nearer; 1m4f now looks well worth a go.
Pedigree suggests strongly that this step up to 1m4f will suit him well and that impression is backed up by his placed efforts in 1m2f novice events on final two outings last season; has raced only on soft or heavy; interesting handicap/seasonal debutant if he goes on the ground.
1/5 Odds Place 1,2,3
( Pool guide displayed could change before the race starts & should be used as a guide only )
