1 Helping Hand, trained by Mb Stables

A decent sort she has been winning regularly in good overnight grade and is a model of consistency. Her run in the Ruffian Handicap last time was her first venture into graded company and she acquitted herself well enough by making all the running until collared close home. She only lost by a half-length that day and runs off a similar handicap mark today so there is no reason to think she won’t have a good crack again. I have reservations about her overall ability but she has proved that she can cope with this type of race and should again be respected.

2 Rosemari Perfect, trained by Ekli Stables

Three year olds in handicaps is always a risky investment but this is a decent three year old and she may just be good enough in a tight handicap. Excellent thirds in both the Chandelier and the DED Princess put her close to the top of her generation but she hasn’t really been tested to that level as a three year old and comes into this a little under the radar. After a disappointing effort in the Fantasy where she got too far back and could only stay on into fifth she came out a slaughtered the opposition in a decent race over this course and distance and it is that run which puts her right in this. I like her a lot, it’s true I would like her better against her own age but this is a bold entry and it may just pay off.

3 Le Feu de Quest, trained by D J C Racing Stables

This will be her fourteenth black type race in a row but despite a lot of very good efforts she has won only one of those, the grade 3 AP Oaks last year. That may not look a great statistic but she has run very well in many of those and must have a fair chance at getting a long awaited second graded stakes win. Her last run on dirt saw her a very close third in the grade three Bayakoa so she is clearly pretty close to winning again.

4 Charred Mayhem, trained by Team 7 Illusions

I will never be able to work out the handicapping system here at HRP. On the one hand we have this twice winning filly who has only run five times and has never won a graded stakes and on the other we have le Fei de Quest with thirteen stakes runs in a row and a grade three win, between them there is just a pound….baffling. Anyway besides the handicap which is pretty pointless we have here a lightly raced four year old with plenty of ability. A winner of a couple of overnights she ran a cracker in the grade three Allaire Distaff last time after trying to make all and fading into third. To be honest that form and the weight allowance is not good enough to see her winning but she is clearly a progressive sort and you cannot write her off.

5 Living Dead Girl, trained by Aer Stables

This four year old could well be the answer to a tricky betting race. Bought just a couple of weeks ago by her current trainer she has performed well at the top level and brings very good form into this. She was a whisker in front of Le Feu de Quest in the Bayakoa two back and then ran a good race despite being last of five in the grade one la Troienne. She is clearly a good sort and it will be very close again especially as her new owner seems to have the Midas touch recently.

6 Sparkling What, trained by Mb Stables

The top weight despite only 7 starts her only stakes run resulted in a win last time out and she has to be respected despite the heavy burden. That win was in the Top Flight Handicap at grade three but the field wasn’t strong and only had four runners so the value of that win has to be questioned. She made all and clung on gamely though which was a very good effort with a race engine that tends to favour off pace horses so I think she is better than that head win suggests. She will stay every yard of this trip and should be competitive throughout.

SUMMARY

Well there are an interesting mix of exposed runners and unexposed runners and to be honest with no help from the handicap it is impossible to tell who will come out on top. For me the three year old looks to possess the most potential so it is her that gets my vote but I won’t be betting my house on the outcome of this race.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES