Racecards
15:05 Ascot
Hong Kong Jockey Club Sprint (Showcase Handicap) (Class B)
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 5f
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Form 210-300
- Age 6
- Weight 9-10
with leader, ridden and weakened halfway
- Form 620105
- Age 8
- Weight 9-0
- Trainer D Nicholls
- Jockey Adrian Nicholls
held up, ridden halfway, soon weakened and eased over 1f out
- Form 1-04056
- Age 5
- Weight 8-13
- Trainer Mrs G Rees
- Jockey Tony Culhane
held up, ridden headway over 2f out, kept on one pace over 1f out
- Form 40-1640
- Age 5
- Weight 8-13
- Trainer J Spearing
- Jockey S Sanders
held up towards rear, headway 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, took 4th close home
- Form 40-0001
- Age 4
- Weight 8-9
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey J Fortune
towards rear, switched left to stand rail over 2f out, headway and hung right over 1f out, short of room inside final furlong, never dangerous
- Form 600205
- Age 4
- Weight 8-6
mid-division, ridden halfway, weakened final furlong
Baltic King
19- Form 241-122
- Age 3
- Weight 8-4
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey K Darley
mid-division, ridden halfway, no impression
- Form 240301
- Age 6
- Weight 8-2
- Trainer J Bradley
- Jockey P Fitzsimons
held up, not clear from over 2f out, led inside final furlong, ran on
- Form 260024
- Age 4
- Weight 8-1
- Trainer N A Callaghan
- Jockey F Norton
slowly into stride, soon in touch, ridden 2f out, kept on same pace
- Form 062600
- Age 7
- Weight 8-1
- Trainer J Wainwright
- Jockey P Hanagan
chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong
- Form 06-0160
- Age 4
- Weight 7-13
held up, headway over 2f out, kept on one pace
- Form 0-22220
- Age 6
- Weight 7-13
close up, ridden and led over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, no extra
Piccled
30- Form 113060
- Age 5
- Weight 7-12
- Trainer E J Alston
- Jockey J Quinn
led, ridden and headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
- Form 0-00000
- Age 10
- Weight 7-12
with leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
In depth
Verdict
Yet another large turnout, with Bond Becks selected ahead of fellow norther raiders Good Girl, Strathclyde, and Tommy Smith. Bryan Smart has his team in good form and Bond Becks will be all the better for his recent return to action at Newmarket where he was prominent for a long time. The horse has speed to burn and will relish conditions. If his recent homework is any indication, he can finally land the big race that his talent deserves. Tim Easterby is double-handed with Good Girl and My American Beauty who both have leading claims, indeed the latter bounced back to form at Newmarket eight days ago in her preparation to go one better than last year here when she was eighth of a pound higher mark. Not so well treated is last year's runner-up Atlantic Viking who is over a stone higher in the weights, but Strathclyde will be on many people's short-list after his recent course and distance victory and comes from the stable that collected two years ago with Smokin Beau. Baltic King ran a blinder in the Balmoral Handicap here when second to Deportivo, and is only four pounds higher which is fair. Better over the minimum trip, he would have been more fancied had the rain not come. Tommy Smith has not won for ages but keeps threatening to and his supporters will be suicidal if he goes unbacked here and pops in, so a small each-way bet is advised, but in a tricky contest we return to Bond Becks as the answer.