Racecards
18:10 Folkestone
Folkestone-racecourse.co.uk Apprentice Handicap (Class 5)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 6f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £4,500 added

- Form 024
- Age 3
- Weight 9-10
- Official Rating 70
- Trainer P W Chapple-Hyam
- Jockey M Geran
raced on side, slowly into stride, chased leaders, weakened over 2f out

- Form 6-56314
- Age 3
- Weight 9-9
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer R Harris
- Jockey Liam Jones
soon lead far side duo, well on terms, headed over 2f out, weakened final furlong

- Form 744-224
- Age 3
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 67
raced far side to track leader, led over 2f out, kept on no chance with stand side group

- Form 8210-80
- Age 3
- Weight 9-5
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer H J L Dunlop
- Jockey K May
raced stand side, in touch, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

- Form 2341
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer N A Callaghan
- Jockey Kirsty Milczarek
raced stand side, reared start, held up in touch, headway halfway, ridden and effort over 1f out, stayed on same pace

- Form 90524
- Age 3
- Weight 8-9
- Official Rating 55
- Trainer R Hannon
- Jockey Hadden Frost
raced stand side, always prominent, led over 2f out, ridden clear final furlong

Ishimagic
18- Form 8446-75
- Age 3
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 48
- Trainer J J Bridger
- Jockey Nicol Polli
led stand side group and overall leader, headed over 2f out, edged right and weakened over 1f out

- Form 067-000
- Age 3
- Weight 8-5
- Official Rating 45
- Trainer J M Bradley
- Jockey Greg Fairley
raced stand side, chased leaders, effort over 2f out, edged right and weakened over 1f out
In depth
Verdict
In the opener, Expensive Art is selected ahead of Nouveau and Gleaming Spirit. Given that Expensive Art is due to go up by four pounds in future ratings based on his recent Lingfield all-weather win, his chance is there for all to see. Obviously, he has to build on that improvement on Turf, but he could well be able to do so. Nouveau holds claims based on his Bath runner-up run on good to soft on July 9th, while, much as Gleaming Spirit has been raised three pounds for a Goodwood runner-up run, the step up to six furlongs could help matters along so he can be considered too. Of the others, Hucking Hope holds place claims based on his June placed runs but Exit Strategy has it to prove based on his ratings rise for his Ayr win and Wells Of Badr has not quite shown enough in maidens to be given a strong shout today. Expensive Art does get one, though, and, accordingly, he is the selection.
Formwatch
Wells of Badr (IRE) 7-2 (8-12) Close up, ridden over 2f out, no extra final furlong, 4th of 10, 9l behind Eternal Legacy (9-7) at Newcastle 7f mdn fll (5) sft in Jun.
Exit Strategy (IRE) 11-4fav (9-1) Held up, ridden and not much room halfway, one pace, 4th of 9, 10l behind Charlie Tipple (9-3) at Nottingham 6f 3yo hcp (5) hvy.
Hucking Hope (IRE) 9-4fav (8-11) Held up, headway on outside to chase leaders over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 4th of 8, 3l behind Baltic Belle (9-7) at Lingfield 7f 3yo fll hcp 0-100 (5) gs in Jun.
Victory Spirit 20-1 (9-2) In touch, keen hold, hampered over 3f out, weakened final 2f, 14th of 16, 17l behind Sweet Gale (9-6) at Lingfield 7f 3yo hcp (5) gf in Jun.
Expensive Art (IRE) 11-4fav (8-0) Tracked leaders, led well over 1f out, ran on strongly, easily, won at Lingfield 6f 3yo hcp (5) pol beating Lay The Cash (8-11) by 3 1/2l, 9 ran.
Nouveau (GER) 8-1 (7-12) Chased leaders, led 4f out, ridden and hung left over 2f out, hung right final furlong, headed well inside final furlong, weakened close home, 4th of 14, 1 1/2l behind Nan Jan (10-0) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-70 (5) pol.
Ishimagic 12-1 (8-11) Chased leaders, pushed along half way, effort over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 5th of 6, 3 1/2l behind Contentious (8-4) at Brighton 5f 3yo hcp (6) gf.
Gleaming Spirit (IRE) 5-1 (8-8) Led narrowly, headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 4th of 10, 6l behind Sundae (9-2) at Sandown 5f 3yo hcp (5) gd in Jun.