July 28 / 15.35 Ascot

15.35

Good

John Guest Racing Handicap

  • Prize money: £23193
  • 1m 3f 211y
  • Class 2
  • 7 runners
SKY
View Course
John Guest Racing Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

11/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.00
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 2-3125

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 3lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
The ground was soft when he won narrowly at Chester and good to firm when he was a tad unlucky not to have gone close at Redcar later in May; both were over about 1m2f, at which he has registered much his best results and form; well beaten behind Youthful King over 11.4f on latest start.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

6

(1)

12th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 2f 56y

Class 2

14:05 York

City Streak

8st 13lb

J: William Carver

T: Andrew Balding

Landed another Chester win in May but behind Stressfree, Have Secret and Paddy The Squire there last month, albeit perhaps just needing the outing after 11 weeks off; acts on heavy.

18/1

7th

1

(8)

14th Sep 2024

Heavy

1m 2f 70y

Class 3

16:05 Chester

City Streak

9st 11lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Andrew Balding

C&D winner on soft and good to firm at the last two May meetings; below par at Epsom and Newcastle this summer but returns from an 11-week break only 1lb above the mark he defied in May.

11/2

7th

2

(8)

29th Jun 2024

Standard

1m 2f 42y

Class 3

16:50 Newcastle (AW)

City Streak

9st 8lb

J: David Probert

T: Andrew Balding

Enhanced his good Chester record there in May (1m2f, good to firm); comfortably held off this mark at Epsom since but good chance he'll bounce back and Wolverhampton exploits bode well for his first visit here.

8/1

7/1

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 73-186

Last run: 35 days

W: 9st 13lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
With Joseph O'Brien before this season; won useful handicap at Kempton (1m3f, AW) when reappearing in April and, having been tailed off at Epsom, good sixth of 18 over C&D at the Royal meeting (good to firm; acts on yielding to soft); thereabouts judged on those two good efforts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

(6)

2nd Jul 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 3

19:43 Kempton (AW)

Max Mayhem

9st 6lb

J: Benoit De La Sayette

T: George Baker

Dual Kempton winner in 2023 and he's very well handicapped judged on form as recent as one year ago; Bahrain last winter did not go well for new connections, however, and although there was a whiff of his old form when seventh of 13 over C&D on his British return in May, he tailed off at Epsom ten days later; soft ground might excuse that but there are questions to answer.

16/1

10th

11

(2)

6th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 2

17:20 Epsom

Max Mayhem

8st 9lb

J: Marco Ghiani

T: George Baker

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.

33/1

7th

2

(12)

27th May 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 3f 219y

Class 3

20:30 Kempton (AW)

Max Mayhem

9st 9lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: George Baker

Three times down the field in Bahrain for this yard and can't support with confidence, for all moving back up in trip should help.

25/1

14/1

Form: 216036 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 93

Form & Verdict
Four-time Tapeta winner who transferred AW form to turf when close third at Ayr (1m5f, good) in June; ran creditably just behind Gaassee at Haydock two weeks later, always mid-division; not proven on softer than good.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

6

(2)

10th Jul 2026

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 3

19:00 Chester

Nolton Cross

9st 9lb

J: David Probert

T: Hugo Palmer

6-24 on AW but 0-12 on turf; recent efforts have been underwhelming and he's probably better suited by 1m4f; not the percentage call.

20/1

5th

3

(2)

20th Jun 2026

Good

1m 2f 50y

Class 4

19:10 Nottingham

Nolton Cross

9st 10lb

J: Luke Catton

T: Hugo Palmer

Six-time AW winner but he's 0-11 on turf and has struggled at Newmarket (1m4f, good to firm) and Hamilton (1m5f, good) in last two runs; now drops back into a Class 4 event but he has plenty to prove back at this trip.

16/1

9th

4

(4)

17th May 2026

Good

1m 5f 16y

Class 3

16:45 Hamilton

Nolton Cross

9st 8lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Hugo Palmer

Six wins (latest in February) from 24 AW starts but 0-10 on turf; Newmarket 15 days ago saw first turf race since 2023 and he came last of eight.

25/1

2/1

Form: 30-704 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 10st 2lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Back to form when fourth of 13 in useful 1m4f handicap at Haydock on latest outing, never nearer in a slowly run race; no ground worries and he should again be on the premises.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(4)

1st Oct 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 219y

Class 4

18:30 Kempton (AW)

Gaassee

10st 2lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: Jack Morland

Has proved consistent since reappearing for Jack Morland in January (4243514) with the win coming at Haydock (10.5f, good to firm) in August; record around here (1m3f/1m4f) reads 123 and another big run would be no surprise.

5/1

4th

6

(12)

13th Sep 2025

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 3

16:00 Chester

Gaassee

9st 6lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: Jack Morland

Mostly competitive off reduced marks for new yard this season and Haydock (1m2f, good to firm) five weeks ago saw him lead final 1f to break a long losing run, doing it in good style too; back up 5lb but he used to be effective on a range of ground and has returned to serious calculations.

7/1

10/1

Form: 78-016

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 3lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Completed a four-timer last May-June before runner-up in this race; second run after wind surgery when going in again at Windsor this June but he was 15l behind Youthful King there on latest outing, both 11.4f; acts on good to firm and good to soft; well treated judged on peak efforts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

(6)

21st Oct 2024

Heavy

1m 2f 37y

Class 4

16:40 Bath

The Whipmaster

9st 7lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Returned after wind surgery with close thirds at Lingfield (1m4f, AW) and Windsor (11.4f, good) but he didn't find much when disappointing at Kempton last time; bit to prove again after that and he's had only one win in his last 17 starts.

6/1

11th

10

(3)

25th Sep 2024

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 219y

Class 4

19:00 Kempton (AW)

The Whipmaster

9st 4lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

Only recently returned from wind surgery and under positive rides has finished close up at Lingfield (1m4f AW) and Windsor (1m3.5f); had no excuses either time but he's unlikely to be far away.

7/1

3rd

5

(8)

16th Sep 2024

Good To Soft

1m 3f 99y

Class 4

15:12 Windsor

The Whipmaster

9st 11lb

J: Tom Queally

T: Gary & Josh Moore

First run after wind surgery when unable to exploit a soft lead on the AW recently (1m4f); however, six of his seven wins have been on turf and he likes it around here; dangerously handicapped.

5/1

Form: 40-881 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 9st 5lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Well down the weights when he raised his head again to win seven-runner race over C&D (good to soft; acts on good to firm) 13 days ago by a neck from the hot favourite, registering his first success since debut; back up 4lb and has headgear first time but he's back in serious calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

9

(2)

10th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 6f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Newmarket (July)

Oneforthegutter

8st 11lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Ian Williams

Second in this race in 2024 and won it last year (good to firm); now he has a 4lb lower mark than last year; that's having failed to finish in the first six in any of his seven races since, but at least his latest start was better than reappearance and it's not unheard of for runners from this stable to surge back to form.

14/1

8th

4

(2)

20th Jun 2026

Good

1m 5f 26y

Class 2

14:53 Ayr

Oneforthegutter

9st 6lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Ian Williams

His form went the wrong way last season and he was soundly beaten on last month's return at Newmarket; however, he may have needed that run and is 2lb lower than when winning at Newmarket (1m6f, good to firm) last July; versatile ground-wise; not ruled out.

25/1

Form: 330282 D

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 1lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
No win since April 2022 and there have been a few blips (penultimate start was put down to losing a shoe) but he's often on the premises and some of his best form has been at this track; sometimes slowly away, including when second to impressive Saratoga Gold on AW last time; more to prove if the ground is softer than good.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

26th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 5f 0y

Class 5

17:20 Lingfield (AW)

Protected Guest

10st 3lb

J: Tom Queally

T: George Margarson

7th

1

(5)

9th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 4

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Protected Guest

10st 1lb

J: Tom Queally

T: George Margarson

slowly away, in rear

10/1

8th

12

(9)

13th Sep 2023

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 2

20:45 Southwell (AW)

Protected Guest

8st 3lb

J: Luke Morris

T: George Margarson

Performed respectably at Kempton on most recent AW attempt but was no match for Saratoga Gold and this is a higher grade; well exposed 8yo who is on a 16-race losing sequence; opposed.

25/1

Non-runners

Saratoga Gold, Youthful King

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £38.60
Straight Forecast £40.36
Tricast £415.92
Trifecta £239.60

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Gaassee

The Guardian:

Oneforthegutter

TOPSPEED:

Max Mayhem

POSTDATA:

The Whipmaster

LAMBOURN:

Saratoga Gold

RP RATINGS:

Gaassee

NEWMARKET:

Gaassee

Telegraph:

Gaassee

Daily Mail:

Gaassee

D Express:

Gaassee

Daily Mirror:

Gaassee

The Sun:

Gaassee

The Star:

Gaassee

Daily Record:

Oneforthegutter

The Times:

Max Mayhem