Seventh Race 7.00pm

THE BETSI HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 5)

for four yrs old and upwards x Total race value £9000 Owners Prize Money. 1st £3584, 2nd £1792, 3rd £896, 4th £448, 5th £240, 6th £240. (Penalty Value £4536)

colours no horse age st- lb Draw

BETS AVAILABLE ON THIS RACE

CITY SELECTIONS SEMSER has found improvement since wearing cheekpieces and he took a step in the right direction when holding off all of his rivals to score at Lingfield last month. The five-year-old gelding was raised 1lb for that success and he can follow up returning to this shorter trip with the headgear retained. Light Up Our Stars commands respect after his win at Wolverhampton but this might be a tougher assignment as he tackles this higher level, while cases can also be made for Majestic Tejaan and Qeyaady in an open affair.

SEMSER

Light Up Our Stars Leading course trainer (16-21): D Ivory (35 wins from 321 runners, 11%) runs PLEDGE OF HONOUR Trainer-in-form (last 14 days): G L Moore (8 wins from 25 runners, 32%) runs SEMSER Longest Traveller: KENTUCKY KINGDOM trained by H Evans, Kinnersley, 175 miles.

Br Breeding O Owner B Breeder J Jockey T Trainer S Sponsor

1 MIGHTY POWER (IRE) (10) 213454- 4 9-9 (9)

Br Gr g Markaz (IRE) - Tooley Woods (IRE) Kieran O’Neill J

O Work Hard Play Hard Partnership

Alice Haynes, Newmarket T B Cottage Lodge Stud Alice Haynes Racing S TIMEFORM VIEW Fourth of 7 in handicap (10/1) at Wolverhampton (9.5f) 10 days ago, well positioned. Upped further in trip. TFRHHHII BHA75 (-1)

2 ELMEJOR (IRE) (29) 000013- CD 6 9-8 (5)

Br B g Xtension (IRE) - Lyca Ballerina O T & B Partnership David Probert J John Best & Karen Jewell, Sittingbourne T

B Rathbarry Stud TIMEFORM VIEW C&D winner. Latest win here in November. 9/1, bit below form third of 9 in handicap at Wolverhampton (12.2f) 29 days ago. Drop back in trip looks a good move. TFRHHHII BHA73

3 QEYAADY (GB) (22) 210006- D Br B g Muhaarar - Starflower O Mr S. Dow B Brightwalton Bloodstock Ltd 4 9-7 (4)

Hollie Doyle J Simon Dow, Epsom T Simon Dow S TIMEFORM VIEW 16/1, first run since leaving Francois Rohaut when sixth of 7 in handicap at Lingfield (10f, AW) on British debut 22 days ago, missing break. Must improve. TFRHHIII BHA73

4 SEMSER (GB) (22) 000031Br B g Siyouni (FR) - Serres (IRE) O Mr M. Warner B Hesmonds Stud Ltd 5 9-6 (2)

Jason Watson J Gary Moore, Horsham T K M Elite Products Ltd S TIMEFORM VIEW Won 5-runner handicap at Lingfield (12f, AW, 13/8) 22 days ago, better placed than most. Not taken lightly given he’s gone up just 1lb. TFRHHHHI BHA71 5 MAJESTIC TEJAAN (IRE) (29) 564224- 4 9-6 (6)

Br B f Zoffany (IRE) - Maybe So O Mr Derek Candy B John Connaughton

Tom Marquand J Tom Ward, Upper Lambourn T The Pheasant Inn S TIMEFORM VIEW 12/1, first run since leaving Richard Fahey when creditable fourth of 9 in handicap at Kempton (8f) 29 days ago. Up in trip. Not easy to make a case for. TFRHHHII BHA72 6 PLEDGE OF HONOUR (GB) (42) 264604- D 6 9-5 (1)

Br B g Shamardal (USA) - Lura (USA) O Mr Dean Ivory

Shane Kelly J Dean Ivory, Radlett T B Godolphin Dean Ivory Racing Ltd S TIMEFORM VIEW 5/1, creditable fourth of 9 in handicap at this C&D 42 days ago, met some trouble. Shortlist material from his current mark. TFRHHHHH BHA70

7 LIGHT UP OUR STARS (IRE) (29) 502101- C 6 9-2 (7)

Br B g Rip Van Winkle (IRE) - Shine Like A Star O Mr D. Boocock B D. Boocock

Luke Morris J Tony Carroll, Cropthorne T Tote S TIMEFORM VIEW Course winner. Won 11-runner handicap (9/1) at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 29 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. TFRHHHHI BHA67

Dougie Costello J James Evans, Kinnersley T B Rosetown Bloodstock Ltd The Little Jet Company Ltd S TIMEFORMVIEWThree-timeC&D winner. 14/1, sixth of 8 in handicap at Southwell (11.1f) 15 daysago. Type to bounce back quickly. TFRHHIII BHA67 9 BAYSTON HILL (GB) (28) 202050- CD

Br Br g Big Bad Bob (IRE) - Jessica Ennis (USA) O High Five Racing and Partners B Selwood Bloodstock & Mrs S. Read 8 9-2 (8)

Daniel Muscutt J Mark Usher, Lambourn T Tote S TIMEFORM VIEW Five-time C&D winner. 16 3/4 lengths fourteenth of 15 to Engrave in handicap (12/1) at this C&D 28 days ago. Others more persuasive. TFRHHIII BHA67

10 ENGRAVE (GB) (17) 052215- CD Br Gr m Dark Angel (IRE) - Hot Wired O Newmarket Equine Tours Racing Club B Jane Allison 6 9-2 (10)

Dylan Hogan J Julia Feilden, Newmarket T Vaillant UK S TIMEFORM VIEW Three wins from 15 runs last year. 11/2, respectable fifth of 12 in handicap at Wolverhampton (9.5f) 17 days ago. Likely to give it another good go back at this venue. TFRHHHII BHA67

DECLARED RUNNERS 10 2021: BAYSTON HILL 7 9 2 Charlie Bennett 22-1 (Mark Usher) 12 ran Hood worn by No. 7. Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn by No. 4, 9, 10.

Probable S.P’s: 3-1 Semser (GB), 4-1 Light Up Our Stars (IRE), 11-2 Pledge of Honour (GB), 8-1 Engrave (GB), 12-1 Mighty Power (IRE), 14-1 Majestic Tejaan (IRE), 16-1 Elmejor (IRE), 20-1 Bayston Hill (GB), 25-1 Kentucky Kingdom (IRE), 33-1 Qeyaady (GB)

PLAY SMARTER PLEDGE OF HONOUR is now 5lb below his previous winning mark and he looked back in form here last time, meeting trouble at a crucial moment. He’s therefore worth siding with to build on that, with Light Up Our Stars and Semser feared most.

TIMEFORM PREDICTION: 1.PLEDGE OF HONOUR 2.LIGHT UP OUR STARS (IRE) 3.SEMSER

RACE RESULT TIME:

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