August 09 / 16.17 Newmarket (July)

16.17

Good

Close Brothers Handicap

  • Prize money: £9534.9
  • 1m 0f 0y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
RTV
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Close Brothers Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

Form: -33203

Last run: 35 days

W: 9st 10lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Did well at Meydan earlier in the year (7f/1m) and bounced back from his no-show in the Britannia with a close third at Sandown (7f, good to firm) to Mudbir who went in again last week at Goodwood; interesting off an untouched mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

(14)

29th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

14:00 Goodwood

The Fingal Raven

9st 1lb

J: William Carver

T: Jamie Osborne

Seems to need good ground or firmer; gained his only turf success at Meydan but ran well, amid traffic issues, at Glorious Goodwood (7f) most recently; another good effort is not ruled out.

20/1

3rd

8

(1)

29th Jul 2026

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 3

17:40 Goodwood

The Fingal Raven

9st 8lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: Jamie Osborne

Tends to reserve his best for Meydan and he hasn't landed a telling blow in valuable handicaps at Royal Ascot and Newmarket on his last two starts; well drawn and he drops in grade, though.

25/1

Form: 57-853

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 8lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Two 6f novice wins at two included one at York; signs of rediscovering some form when a 3l third at Doncaster (7f) on what proved to be her final run for the Quinns (same owners); not ruled out, though does have to prove her stamina for this far.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

(5)

27th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 1y

Class 1

15:33 Chester

Royalty Bay

9st 2lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

Back on form to take advantage of a reduced mark in 7f Musselburgh handicap (good) three weeks ago; this is harder but the fact she was second in a Group 3 in France as a juvenile provides some hope.

14/1

1st

2

(2)

6th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 15y

Class 4

14:50 Musselburgh

Royalty Bay

9st 10lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

Should be on a good mark but last year was mostly underwhelming and so too her comeback effort over C&D; opposable.

10/1

6th

4

(9)

26th Apr 2026

Good

0m 7f 15y

Class 4

17:45 Musselburgh

Royalty Bay

9st 7lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

She's well handicapped on 2024 2yo form; last year wasn't devoid of spark but it was an underwhelming campaign and she has to raise her game.

14/1

OUR TIP

Form: 4-3311 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Lingfield novice winner (7.6f, good) who found lots of improvement when following up on handicap debut at Newbury (1m, good to firm); that was pretty easy and a 5lb rise doesn't overly dent optimism.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

(4)

9th Aug 2025

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

16:17 Newmarket (July)

Abundance

9st 6lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Jonathan Portman

Lingfield novice winner (7.6f, good) who found lots of improvement when following up on handicap debut at Newbury (1m, good to firm); that was pretty easy and a 5lb rise doesn't overly dent optimism.

3/1

Form: 112533 D BF

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 5lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Dual AW novice winner through the winter; hasn't been disgraced in any of his four handicaps (all at 1m) without looking on an strikingly generous mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

(1)

8th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 0f 75y

Class 4

15:28 Nottingham

Transparent

9st 7lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Tom Ward

Both wins in AW novices (7f/1m) early this year; runner-up over 1m in two of his four starts on turf but below form in both spheres on last two outings; bit to prove, including on softer than good.

14/1

5th

3

(15)

20th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

17:00 Newbury

Transparent

9st 9lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Tom Ward

Both wins in AW novices (7f/1m), but runner-up in two of his three starts on turf (both over this trip on straight tracks); needs to put a modest effort at Southwell (1m, AW) behind him, though.

14/1

13th

10

(2)

28th Aug 2025

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 3

19:45 Southwell (AW)

Transparent

9st 4lb

J: Robert Havlin

T: Tom Ward

C&D novice winner who was a close third in a warm 3yo handicap over C&D last month; beaten 5l when runner-up at Newmarket since but behind a fast-improving winner and the AW may be more his thing; major player back here.

11/2

Form: -32214

Last run: 28 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Consistent 3yo and it was a Class 2 in which he wasn't beaten far over C&D at the July meeting despite racing with the choke out; player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

(1)

8th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 213y

Class 2

16:30 Ascot

Mister Winston

9st 12lb

J: Jerry Chau

T: Andrew Balding

Won handicaps at Newmarket and Epsom this summer before finishing down the field in the Royal Hunt Cup; only 14th of 18 at Goodwood (1m, good to firm) eight days ago but that doesn't tell the story of his run as he was travelling well but with nowhere to go for most of the home straight; he will need a career best to win but it is not out of the question.

11/1

14th

4

(19)

31st Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:00 Goodwood

Mister Winston

9st 10lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Record of 2-4 since being gelded features a success at Epsom on Oaks day when overcoming trouble; down the field in the Royal Hunt Cup 12 days later but perhaps the race came too soon; rested over six weeks since and may rebound.

20/1

23th

17

(10)

17th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

17:00 Ascot

Mister Winston

9st 4lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

Overcame trouble to win by 1l at Epsom (8.5f, good to soft) on Oaks day, taking record since being gelded to 2-3 and overall strike-rate to 4-12; returns to a hotter handicap but he's improving steadily and 1lb well in under a penalty; not dismissed.

14/1

Form: 602-99

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 0lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Promised to be useful for Charles Hills but departed that yard for 10,000gns after a quiet reappearance; fared no better on yard debut at Doncaster (tried a hood and cheekpieces).
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

5

(10)

3rd Sep 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 6

16:35 Newcastle (AW)

Victory Sound

9st 6lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: Mark Usher

Losing run stands at 15; placed in three of his last four starts, with and without cheekpieces, and more likely to run his race than most.

3/1

2nd

8

(1)

18th Aug 2026

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 6

16:45 Lingfield (AW)

Victory Sound

9st 9lb

J: Rhys Clutterbuck

T: Mark Usher

Useful 2yo for Charles Hills and although a long way below that level now, his third-place finishes in handicaps here (1m) and at Ffos Las (7.4f, good) in March suggested that some ability remains; respected down to this level for the first time.

4/1

6th

11

(4)

14th Jul 2026

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 6

19:25 Wolverhampton (AW)

Victory Sound

9st 1lb

J: Rhys Clutterbuck

T: Mark Usher

7f turf winner (good to firm) when with Charles Hills; 0-9 for current trainer but his last two efforts have offered more encouragement; each-way player.

7/1

Non-runners

Wolfpack

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.20
Straight Forecast £5.42
Trifecta £13.90

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Mister Winston

NEWMARKET:

Wolfpack

LAMBOURN:

Abundance

SPOTLIGHT:

The Fingal Raven

The Sun:

Transparent

Daily Mail:

Abundance

Daily Mirror:

Abundance

TOPSPEED:

Mister Winston

POSTDATA:

Mister Winston

The Times:

Mister Winston

Telegraph:

Mister Winston

D Express:

Wolfpack

The Star:

Wolfpack

Daily Record:

Wolfpack

The Guardian:

The Fingal Raven