17:20 Epsom
Good To SoftHKJC World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap (GBBPlus Race)
- First Prize: £38655
- 1m 4f 6y
- Class 2
- 17 runners
RTV
Runners: 17 runners
Type: Flat Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Mostly cloudy
Form: -68215 D
OR: 103
W: 9st 9lb
Age: 8 yo Gelding
Prolific 8yo who gained his 11th success when taking 1m4f Ripon handicap (good) in April; got a 2lb nudge after that and received a further 3lb rise after finishing fifth in 2m Group 2 in Germany four weeks ago; while that's not ideal, he's won off higher marks and won't mind how the ground is riding.
OUR TIP
Form: 1021-2 D
OR: 102
W: 9st 8lb
Age: 4 yo Gelding
Unraced as a juvenile but now boasts 3-6 record, winning his first two and back on the scoresheet when making all at Leicester (1m4f, good to soft) in October; bumped into a quite well-regarded sort when second at Goodwood (1m6f, good) a fortnight ago and this unexposed 4yo looks a big contender to build on that encouraging return.
Form: 723055 D
OR: 102
W: 9st 8lb
Age: 5 yo Gelding
1m4f AW Listed winner (also acts on good to soft and softer) for the Gosdens but he left that yard under a cloud in the autumn; rediscovered some form at 1m2f on AW this winter but he's been below par on his last three starts; soft ground would enhance his cause but others are more solid.
Form: -61647
OR: 98
W: 9st 4lb
Age: 4 yo Colt
Won on soft (1m) as a 2yo; gelded after just two starts last year (included 1m2f win) and he scored off 5lb lower on AW in February; various excuses in three subsequent outings when he frequently looked as though this step back up in trip is well worth another go; respected.
Form: 16-509 CD
OR: 97
W: 9st 3lb
Age: 6 yo Gelding
Won 23-runner November Handicap (1m4f, soft) in 2024 and he's 2-3 here (1m2f and 1m4f) including a win on good to soft last September; those are the clear positives but he's been poor in three starts at 1m2f (snow/AW/good) this year; has a tempting mark if he can stage a revival, so needs a market check.
Form: 28240- D
OR: 93
W: 8st 13lb
Age: 6 yo Gelding
He hasn't won since August 2024 but ran some fine races in defeat last season, including when second of 14 at Glorious Goodwood (1m6f, good to soft) in August; those efforts have ensured his mark is holding up, however, and he makes his comeback over a trip probably short of his best these days.
Form: 2-5341 CD
OR: 92
W: 8st 12lb
Age: 6 yo Gelding
Track regular who finished third in this race (good to soft) in 2024 and stayed on from the rear to be fourth in last year's edition; also won last season's Great Metropolitan over C&D (good) and got back in the winning groove when taking Newmarket handicap three weeks ago; latter success puts him on a career-high mark but he's unlikely to be far away.
Form: 414983
OR: 92
W: 8st 12lb
Age: 4 yo Gelding
Often a front-runner; 3-7 on AW but he's 0-4 on turf and latest third to Elsass at Hamilton (1m3f, good) was no more than respectable; untested on good to soft or worse but his pedigree may given some encouragement, as his dam is closely related to outstanding performer Enable whose 15 wins included the 2017 Oaks over C&D and four of her Group 1 wins were on softer than good.
Form: 540341 CD
OR: 91
W: 8st 11lb
Age: 6 yo Gelding
Finished fifth in this last year and it was just his second visit to Epsom when impressively landing the five-runner Great Metropolitan over C&D (good) in April; 4lb rise (arguably could have been worse) pushes him into uncharted territory but he has won on good to soft and is a player under Billy Loughnane.
Form: 7/11-3 CD
OR: 89
W: 8st 9lb
Age: 5 yo Gelding
Acts on soft; can make the running; won six (four over hurdles, two on Flat) of seven starts in a golden spell last February-October, including over C&D in September in both the Jump Jockeys Derby (soft) and Apprentices' Derby (good); recent run over 2m at Goodwood should have teed him up nicely for what could be a plan from last year's winning yard; considered.
Form: 69-007 D
OR: 89
W: 8st 9lb
Age: 8 yo Gelding
Locally trained runner who offered something to work on when seventh of 13 at Kempton (1m4f, AW) on his British return ten days ago; also has form on good to soft but latest effort still leaves him with work to do and he finished tailed off in the 2023 running of this.
Form: 120-11
OR: 88
W: 8st 8lb
Age: 4 yo Colt
Previously susceptible to the odd stinker but he's 2-2 since being gelded, scoring at Southwell (AW) in April and Hamilton (again 1m3f, good) three weeks ago; 8lb rise in a much tougher contest demands more but maybe he's putting it all together now.
Form: 38-045 C
OR: 88
W: 8st 8lb
Age: 4 yo Colt
Housed in a stable that rarely misidentifies its geese as swans, so the fact he's been highly tried on occasions is interesting; 1-14 record is therefore frustrating but the win did come here as a juvenile (8.5f, heavy) and he gets first-time cheekpieces today; suspicion he's capable of a big run with Warren Fentiman an unusual booking for the yard.
Form: 11-939 CD
OR: 87
W: 8st 7lb
Age: 6 yo Colt
The second runner for local trainer George Baker and this one has an enviable 3-4 record here, having picked up two Ladies' Derbys (2024 and 2025) in addition to the Amateurs' Derby last year when trained by Ben Brookhouse; not discounted on that score but this is a good bit hotter than those events; refitted tongue-tie could be a plus.
Form: 43-324
OR: 87
W: 8st 7lb
Age: 4 yo Gelding
Extraordinarily consistent sort who is yet to finish out of the frame in 15 starts and his profile isn't short of improvement either; stays this trip, acts on good to soft (unraced on soft) and he also ran well on his only visit here; very likeable and should go well again.
Form: -64111 D
OR: 82
W: 8st 4lb
Age: 4 yo Gelding
Lightly raced 4yo who has swiftly found his feet for this yard; built on a big run in novice here (8.5f, good) in April by going unbeaten in his three handicaps (1m2f and 11.5f, good/good to firm), penalised on the last two occasions; now bumped up markedly in grade (2lb wrong) and softer ground would pose a query but there's no telling where this improvement will end up.
Form: 412-05
OR: 79
W: 8st 4lb
Age: 4 yo Gelding
Heavy-ground romp at Salisbury (had been gelded) in September and second at Newbury (also 1m2f, soft) the following month give him a shot; however, he left Roger Teal after two runs over hurdles and will need to improve upon his two starts for new yard this spring; 5lb out of the handicap.
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Betting Forecast
12/1 Prydwen, 7/1 Spinning Wheel, 33/1 Military Academy, 8/1 Regal Ulixes, 16/1 Lord Melbourne, 12/1 Dancing In Paris, 11/1 Asgards Captain, 16/1 Antrim, 8/1 Night Breeze, 7/1 Give It To Me Oj, 40/1 Max Mayhem, 5/1 Elsass, 12/1 Too Soon, 16/1 Gordon Grey, 12/1 Bulletin, 9/1 Hengest, 33/1 Northwest Passage
Verdict
It’s a deeply competitive edition of this famous handicap and the winning course form of Asgard’s Captain, Night Breeze and Give It To Me Oj (second choice) make them attractive propositions, while Elsass and Hengest come here on a roll and Bulletin is impossible to knock. However, it’s hard to believe that SPINNING WHEEL isn’t capable of better yet and this progressive sort gets the vote to land win number four. At potentially longer odds, don’t rule out a big run from topweight Prydwen or the enigmatic Too Soon.[Richard Russell]