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14:25 York

Saturday 24 August 2024

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 2m 57.85s

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(12)

The Equator^b1⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: G M Ryan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 101| BF

10/1

Useful performer who was a good fifth in Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot over this trip and has the drop back to 1¼m as an excuse for his short-priced defeat in a Navan conditions race since. A really smart effort will be needed from his mark but no surprise were he to find it in first-time blinkers.

Form: 4-1452

(15)

Imperial Sovereign⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: S H James| T: K R Burke| OR: 98

22/1

Debut winner at Newcastle and shaped well when runner-up in a Kempton novice (11f) in March. Has come up a little short at listed/Group 2 level since but it's still early days for this son of Frankel who tackles his first handicap here.

Form: 1-266

(9)

Going Remote^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: C T Keane| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 97

22/1

Second success when seeing off 8 rivals over 1½m at Ascot a fortnight ago but he was a well positioned the way that race unfolded and a 5 lb rise looks enough to stop him in this deeper race.

Form: 221401

(4)

Tabletalk²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Rossa Ryan| T: Tom Clover| OR: 95

12/1

Found the Derby all too much but back on track with his sights lowered when 2 lengths third of 8 in 1½m Ascot handicap 4 weeks ago, form which has been boosted by the runner-up. Should be more to come as his stamina is drawn out.

Form: 3-103

(13)

Wild Waves^h⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 92

6/1

Looked very progressive when winning first 2 handicaps, latterly over 14.5f at Doncaster. Can have a line put through his latest Haydock effort after slipping badly approaching the straight. His yard has won this twice in recent years and Murphy seemingly prefers him to stablemate Tactician.

Form: 44-5110

(7)

Spaceport³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: W Muir & C Grassick| OR: 92| D

10/1

Suited by 1¾m when seeing off Cock And Bull by 2½ lengths at Sandown (good to soft) a month ago. Raised 7 lb but he is unexposed as a stayer.

Form: 3-71241

(16)

Reaching High^t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: D Tudhope| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 92| D

6/1

Relished the step up to 1¾m when easily getting off the mark at Wolverhampton 23 days ago. Had so much in hand that even an 11lb rise may not stop him.

Form: 8-62321

(8)

Tactician²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: P J McDonald| T: A M Balding| OR: 91| D

10/1

Stayed on well to lead near the finish in a 2m Ascot handicap last month. The drop back in trip is a slight worry but the prospect of a truly-run race negates that to some degree. Has bigger performances in him but Murphy deserts him in favour of stablemate Wild Waves.

Form: 55121

(14)

Mo Ghille Mar^p³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: O J Orr| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 90

33/1

Navan maiden winner who added to her tally in a 4-runner Killarney handicap (11.5f, good to firm) last month, making all. Harder to dominate in this much bigger field. Up in trip.

Form: 36D171

(6)

Too Bossy For Us⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Jim Crowley| T: K P De Foy| OR: 89

15/2

Improving son of Golden Horn who has been placed behind the very progressive Align The Stars at Thirsk (1½m) and Haydock (1¾m) on his last 2 starts. Should give another good account.

Form: 68-3132

(11)

Dramatic Star⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 87| BF

5/1

Sea The Stars colt who progressed well in maiden/novices, emphatically landing a maiden at Hamilton (11f, good to firm) in June. Easy to ignore subsequent Haydock handicap debut (eased after slipping and being hampered). Remains capable of better for yard no stranger to success in this.

Form: 3210

(10)

Champagne Prince¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Callum Shepherd| T: Jane Chapple-Hyam| OR: 86

10/1

2-2 on AW at the end of 2023. Down the field over 1m on his first 2 outings this year but a marked step up in trip saw him get his career back on track last time, going down by only a neck to the reopposing Going Remote at Ascot (1½m) 14 days ago. Up in trip again now.

Form: 11-702

(2)

Master Builder⁴⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: S De Sousa| T: D Menuisier| OR: 85

12/1

Won a 1¼m Salisbury novice in the mud on second start and not disgraced under a penalty at Kempton (1½m) 8 weeks later. Unexposed handicap newcomer.

Form: 215

(3)

Sun God²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: L Morris| T: H Morrison| OR: 82

14/1

AW nursery winner on final 2-y-o start. Has improved when running well in some warm handicaps at up to 11f on turf this year but he isn't sure to benefit from this much longer trip.

Form: 541-245

(5)

Tryfan²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Cam Hardie| T: B Ellison| OR: 80

40/1

Made a winning start to his handicap career on AW at Newcastle (12.5f) in June. Also a good second there last month but seemed to be stretched by 1¾m at Haydock in between.

Form: 3-52162

(1)

Terrorise³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Shay Farmer⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 74

50/1

Much improved to make a winning handicap debut at Doncaster in May. Creditable 5 lengths fourth of 6 over 1½m there last month but doesn't strike as an obvious winner of this from out of the handicap.

Form: 57-7154

Forecasts

Dramatic Star (5/1), Wild Waves (6/1), Reaching High (6/1), Too Bossy For Us (15/2), The Equator (10/1), Tactician (10/1), Champagne Prince (10/1), Spaceport (10/1), Tabletalk (12/1), Master Builder (12/1), Sun God (14/1), Going Remote (22/1), Imperial Sovereign (22/1), Mo Ghille Mar (33/1), Tryfan (40/1), Terrorise (50/1)

Andrew Balding has a strong recent record in this so it's worth giving another chance to WILD WAVES, who met trouble when one of the market leaders for a valuable handicap over this trip at Haydock last month. The William Haggas-trained Dramatic Star is another who can have a line put through his run in that same Haydock handicap and is second choice ahead of Reaching High and Tabletalk.