Preview - 25 July 2007

3.50 Catterick - The Book Online at catterick.co.uk Handicap Class 4 (3yo+ 0-85) 5F Good to soft

1 – Handsome Cross – Talented sprinter on his day and handles give in the ground, has recorded all his 3 wins over the minimum trip. Trainer has good form at the track and especially in all age handicap sprint handicaps with fancied runners on form. Dropping down in class, having failed to see out the stiff 5F at Newmarket behind Moorhouse Lad, where he was prominent before weakening. Maybe is in the grip of the handicapper, based on the fact he had the run of the race. The easier company will help him, together with the smaller field. There is a chance that he will go close to ending a losing run of 18 , where this 6yo needs to overcome a 7lbs high handicap mark. He is exposed and the handicapper is not taking any chances. The course should play to his strengths, as he is best over a sharp 5F.

Tissue Price – 2/1

2 – Coseadrom – On his first start for Ron Harris, after being brought over from Ireland, where he had some solid form, with good big field handicaps runs on good to firm ground over these sprint trips. However, he was not the easiest to win with, having only won once on Heavy Ground, which can sometime give the wrong impression to a horse handling give in the ground. Hard to know what to expect on UK debut and is best monitored in the market as to what is expected first time up.

Tissue Price – 4/1

3 – Bahamian Ballet – Kept away from ground this soft, so today’s easier conditions have to be a concern, though on breeding he might not struggle on the ground, It is unlikely to be ideal conditions under foot, to what you would expect for a Gelding by Bohemian Ballet. Suited to sprint trips, and potentially more to come than Handsome cross under a 4lbs rise in the weights, but he may be better for a return to quick ground and a more galloping course, than this sharper test.

Tissue Price – 6/1

4 – Rare Cross – Beaten by Black Moma on his last run at Lingfield. That rival has gone well since in decent handicaps. That race was on soft ground, where she kept on well from the front, but she did have the race to suit that day and wasn’t able to find enough gears. The ground is unlikely to be as testing as it was that day which should help, but it could be quite tacky ground today. It may be wise to await for better ground, as she does have a lot of speed which is likely to be blunted by give under foot.

Tissue Price – 12/1

5 – Rainbow Bay – Never figured last time at Ascot behind Orpsie Boy and looked handicapped up to his best on Bath running, after winning back-to-back handicaps at Catterick over 6F. The drop back to 5F isn’t certain to suit, based on his most recent handicap run over 5F at Wolverhampton. If you go back to the victory over Blazing Heights, (hard to win with rival), he has got enough pace to be effective over this trip. Dropped back down to a winnable mark after those two runs and paired with a more experienced jockey than recently today, for a trainer who is successful at this track. He has to come into consideration with a drop in class here. A course specialist, but needs to prove that ground with cut suits.

Tissue price – 7/1

6 – Monashee Brave – Has been a bit disappointing since a 2nd in a big field handicap at Thirsk and is very much hit and miss. He did show some signs of returning to form, when showing up well before tiring last time at Beverley. That would have been more than testing enough. Dropped in class for this race and better conditions should suit, having won his only race on good to soft ground at Beverley. John Quinn is a master at placing handicappers to win and with this horse rapidly dropping in the handicap, he is getting down to a mark to win a fair race from at this level. This track over 5F may be a little on the sharp side for him however, as a stiff 5F has proven to suit him best.

Tissue Price – 10/1

7 – Nusoor – Hard to judge character that is never far away and seems to run the usual race and often doesn’t seem to find enough off the bridle, to finish well enough to win over 5F. Could need further then this minimum trip and only win has come over 6F. Placed 4 times on sharp tracks, he will need a strong pace to add to that from the rear, so his stamina can come into play. He may not be far off winning, so a return to 6F could be the time to back him . The good to soft conditions does suit and he could past a few of these in the final furlong to land a place.

Tissue Price – 6/1

8 – Strensall – Has been pulled out of a few races, since finishing 2nd to a clear-cut winner, who has gone on to land a listed event on a sharp track. To judge Strensall on that run could be misleading, as the winner was a very easy winner that day and there is no reason to believe that this exposed 10yo was the best of a moderate bunch in behind. Out of the handicap by 3lbs for this and trainer does well at this track with his limited runners. Paul Hanagan has won 3 times on this old timer and rode him to the 2nd last time. Handicapped to go well on old form but wouldn’t want it to get too tough under foot. Loves it at this track as well.

Tissue Price – 8/1

9 – Bond Playboy – 5-time winner over 6F, who has failed to win in 11 attempts over this minimum trip. He has the ideal conditions for the first time in a long time, having been kept mainly to the all weather. Ran well up to a point just the other day, when failing to quicken once asked over 5 furlongs, and will most probably find this a little on the sharp side, even though improved conditions should be much more to his liking. A course winner over 6F, he is exposed as a  7yo, and has some ground to make up on a few of these with being out of the handicap not ideal.

Tissue Price – 25/1

10 – Whinhill House – The last of 3 from out of the handicap and one that has a regressive profile given that this 7yo gelding by Paris House has fallen around 30lbs in the last 2yrs in the handicap. Shows plenty of pace for 5F and should help to force a solid pace in this race today, at a course where his only victory here came over 5F, when he was in the form of his life. Off an attractive mark if returning to his best under a jockey who goes well with the horse, but is a shadow of his former self, and has struggled including here in handicaps this season. Trainer always respected at the track in all age handicaps and there shouldn’t be a problem with the give in the ground.

Tissue Price – 16/1

Tissue Prices – Handsome Cross 2/1, Cosadrom 4/1, Nusoor, Bahamian Ballet 6/1, Rainbow Bay 7/1, Strensall 8/1, Monashee Prince 10/1, Rare Cross 12/1, Whinhill House 15/1, Bond Playboy 25/1.  

Verdict – An open handicap, with very little in the way of progressive rivals in this field. The Ron Harris trained Coseadrom is an interesting runner in this handicap and we'll know a bit more after today, in regards to the possible improvement of the horse, for the change of stables. Nusoor, at a big price may well be the each-way alternative in this field, as the ground rides on the slow side, and also with some concerns over a few of these horses ability to handle give in the ground. It may well be a case of Handsome cross being very hard to beat in this handicap today.

Selection – Handsome Cross 2pts @ 3-1 (3.2-1BF) & Nusoor 0.25pt @ 20-1

Well Chief

Last updated: 25 Jul 2007 by Stow judge Contact