MODERN GREATs Prints

Eight sprinters have been declared for race five on this evening’s card, the weatherbysshop.co.uk Handicap, a class 3 (0-95) contest over six furlongs and five of the octet are previous course-and-distance winners.

One of those is top-weight Intrinsic Bond, who won the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at this venue last August. Now just 4lbs higher, Tracy Waggott’s six-year-old ran well over a furlong shorter and on softer ground, at this track in late-April. Only grabbed late on, he finished runner-up in this corresponding race last year and ought to appreciate both going back up in distance and the sounder surface. Connor Beasley is back on board for the first time since that Great St Wilfrid success

The 2021 Great St Wilfrid went the way of Justanotherbottle, who has only won twice since, both over this course-and-distance. He was a long way behind Intrinsic Bond here earlier in the season and also when fifth when attempting to defend that Great St Wilfrid crown last August, but he has plummeted in the weights since and is another who should appreciate the drier conditions. A course specialist, he could bounce back to form this evening, as he often takes a run or two to reach his peak.

Bottom-weight Fortamour is another of the previous course-anddistance winners, although Ben Haslam’s seven-year-old has finished behind both Bay Breeze and Twelfth Knight in races at this track already this year That pair are improving four-year-olds who arrive here on the back of recent wins, so have to be respected, with Twelfth Knight having won two of his three starts for trainer Ruth Carr The Haatef gelding appears to be on a roll and has more scope for improvement than most, having had just 13 starts on turf He is just 2lbs higher than when beating Fortamour by a length a month ago

The nine-year-old Gulliver represents David O’Meara, but his winless run goes back to October 2020, whilst It Just Takes Time and Leap Abroad complete the line-up The former ran well when fourth over a shade further at York’s Dante meeting recently and seems versatile in terms of ground, whilst the latter – who carries the silks of Middleham Park Racing – hails from the stable of Paul & Oliver Cole and has been in consistent form this season, in three starts at Newmarket (twice) and Newbury.

The son of Gregorian has dropped to a mark of 87, which was his last winning mark, with that victory coming at Newmarket just under a year ago. Another lightly-raced four-year-old, he has plenty more to offer and is another who will likely improve for meeting quicker ground. Apprentice jockey Mohammed Tabti continues in the saddle.

Paul Ferguson