July 10 / 19.35 Chester

19.35

Good

John Smith’s Handicap

  • Prize money: £7731
  • 0m 5f 110y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
SKY
View Course
John Smith’s Handicap

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

9/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63
  • Place: £1.50

Form: 035-32

Last run: 23 days

W: 9st 2lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Prominent racer who has run two good races at Hamilton (6f, good and 5f, good to soft) this season; unraced on faster than good but a key player if underfoot conditions are suitable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

6

(10)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 6f 17y

Class 4

15:46 Chester

Top Juggler

9st 7lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

Keen-going sort who got off the mark for the season over 5.5f here in July; has performed with credit both runs since, coming in third of ten in 6f Ripon handicap 18 days ago; not out of things but has double-digit draw to overcome.

8/1

3rd

2

(6)

1st Sep 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

15:40 Ripon

Top Juggler

9st 13lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

Set a course record when justifying favouritism by a neck at Chester (5.5f, good) on penultimate start; didn't see it out, in a race which has yielded various winners, at Hamilton (6f) three weeks ago; sits close to career-high mark.

8/1

7th

9

(3)

11th Aug 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 6y

Class 4

20:00 Hamilton

Top Juggler

9st 3lb

J: Dale Swift

T: Seb Spencer

Won a C&D maiden in 2024; ran well here on his first two starts this year and won a handicap by a neck at Chester (5.5f, good) last month; form figures at this track read 14232 and he makes the shortlist.

7/1

5/1

  • Place: £2.40

Form: 355122 BF

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 2lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Took advantage of a lowly mark at Southwell in December and he has flourished since, adding two more AW wins over the winter and going in again at Salisbury (6f, soft) last month; second in two fast-ground handicaps since; should remain competitive but this test will be sharp enough.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

(9)

1st Oct 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

15:49 Salisbury

Supreme King

9st 7lb

J: Colin Keane

T: David Evans

Three C&D runs, winning two (soft and good to firm) and a solid third of eight last month; made the running and faded at Chester since but he's better judged on the earlier runs; on the premises.

10/1

3rd

4

(9)

19th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 6f 17y

Class 4

15:46 Chester

Supreme King

9st 9lb

J: J F Egan

T: David Evans

Notched a fourth success of 2026 at Salisbury (6f) in August and posted another good effort with third of eight there (6f) eight days ago; handles this track well and has won on soft ground so must enter calculations.

12/1

3rd

3

(8)

11th Sep 2026

Good To Soft

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

16:51 Salisbury

Supreme King

9st 9lb

J: Pat Cosgrave

T: David Evans

Four wins this year include two over C&D (soft/good to firm), which makes him 2-2 here; normally reliable sort who can be excused his sixth at Windsor last time, when he was one of two that pursued a fruitless exploration of the far rail; could well bounce back.

6/1

5/1

Form: 7-3611 C

Last run: 39 days

W: 9st 0lb

7 yo Colt

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Course win (5f, good) last July; arrives in top form, winning Class 5 events at Bath and Newbury (5f, firm and good to firm) this summer; 2lb rise shouldn't prevent another bold bid.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

(12)

29th Sep 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 10y

Class 4

16:02 Bath

Aces Wild

9st 12lb

J: Taryn Langley

T: Adrian Wintle

Scored over C&D in May and has added a pair of 5f handicap wins at Newbury and Chester this summer; drawn wide when last of ten in 5f Chester handicap last time so could bounce back.

20/1

10th

10

(8)

11th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 15y

Class 3

15:17 Chester

Aces Wild

8st 11lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: Adrian Wintle

Thriving this summer and it was a career-best effort when defying a wide stall over C&D seven weeks ago; a 4lb rise may not be beyond him but the ground is a potential stumbling block.

7/1

1st

9

(11)

25th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 15y

Class 4

16:23 Chester

Aces Wild

9st 6lb

J: Taryn Langley

T: Adrian Wintle

Won two Class 5s before a strong-finishing third at this level here last time having been last at one point; however, stall 11 could be a killer.

7/1

10/1

Form: -26156 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Ideally suited by going around a left-hand bend, with his six wins coming here and at Wolverhampton; 10lb higher than for his win in this race last year and the widest draw isn't a big selling point today; cheekpieces join the hood today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

(4)

8th Aug 2026

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 3

15:47 Redcar

Rosenpur

9st 0lb

J: Darragh Keenan

T: Jennie Candlish

Made all off 1lb lower at Chester (6f, good) in May and wasn't beaten far on any of four subsequent starts there, the latest over 5f from a tough draw; may not be seen to quite the same effect on this straight track, though.

11/2

9th

2

(12)

25th Jul 2026

Good

0m 5f 15y

Class 4

16:23 Chester

Rosenpur

9st 12lb

J: George Wood

T: Jennie Candlish

All six wins have been here and at Wolverhampton, including this race 12 months ago when 6lb lower; close fourth here last time when drawn wide but in a smaller field than today and now he's out in stall 12; cheekpieces tried last time are removed.

13/2

Form: 552201

Last run: 42 days

W: 9st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Ended losing run with an emphatic success at Wolverhampton (5f) six weeks ago and the runner-up has done his bit for the form since; still seeking a first turf win though and following up off 7lb higher won't be easy.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

8

(6)

26th Sep 2026

Standard

0m 4f 214y

Class 4

17:55 Southwell (AW)

True Promise

9st 6lb

J: Harry Russell

T: Fionn McSharry

Five wins all on Tapeta and he usually gives his running round here; however, there's little leeway off this mark (5lb higher than when winning in lesser company in the spring) and he doesn't arrive in the best of form.

20/1

17th

7

(16)

6th Sep 2026

Good To Soft

0m 5f 89y

Class 4

14:05 York

True Promise

9st 9lb

J: Conor Whiteley

T: Fionn McSharry

Better on AW than turf (5-28 as opposed to 0-12) and others have much stronger claims this time.

25/1

7th

1

(4)

20th Aug 2026

Standard

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

20:24 Newcastle (AW)

True Promise

10st 1lb

J: Harry Russell

T: Fionn McSharry

Better on AW than turf so two defeats on the grass aren't especially damaging to his claims here; won easily at Wolverhampton (5f) on his most recent start and he is respected back on Tapeta.

8/1

Form: 5-0187 C

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 4lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Back to winning ways with his Class 5 win at Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May; respectable efforts twice since but he would be more appealing on slower ground.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

(9)

28th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 7y

Class 3

16:04 Hamilton

Changeofmind

9st 3lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Gained sole handicap success in Class 5 in May and achieved his subsequent placed form in Class 4; came up short in Class 3 last time and can be opposed kept to this grade.

16/1

10th

11

(2)

13th Sep 2026

Good

0m 5f 3y

Class 3

13:25 Doncaster

Changeofmind

9st 4lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May saw him end a losing run and he's been competitive again on last two outings when short-headed at Newcastle (5f, AW) and close up on heavy ground at Haydock; a bit more is needed, though.

20/1

3rd

1

(4)

4th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 5f 0y

Class 4

15:47 Haydock

Changeofmind

10st 0lb

J: Zak Wheatley

T: Declan Carroll

Ended a losing run at Pontefract (5f, good to soft) in May and he came right back to form when claimed near the line at Newcastle (5f, AW) a fortnight ago; handles testing conditions and promises to do much better than when ninth (well-backed favourite) in a division of this last year.

6/1

Non-runners

Betsen, Brummell, Ran Amok, Paws For Thought

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.60
Straight Forecast £10.43
Tricast £51.52
Trifecta £38.00

Selections

The Times:

Top Juggler

RP RATINGS:

Aces Wild

Daily Mail:

Supreme King

The Sun:

True Promise

TOPSPEED:

Ran Amok

SPOTLIGHT:

Betsen

Telegraph:

Top Juggler

The Guardian:

Top Juggler

The Star:

True Promise

POSTDATA:

Aces Wild

Daily Mirror:

Aces Wild

D Express:

Supreme King

Daily Record:

Supreme King