2.10pm Epsom Tips & Betting Preview 26/04/2017

This is an interesting handicap over 5 furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Ron Harris’ MAJESTIC HERO can gain compensation for a short head defeat last time out and win this. He’s clearly been freshened up over the winter and he has every chance of going one better here off the same mark. Lathom is beginning to fall to a workable mark and the booking of Ryan Moore looks positive whilst Dutiful Son may ran a better race than his price suggests.

1 SHAMSHON – Hasn’t hit top form in three All-Weather starts this winter although he wasn’t beaten far at Wolverhampton last month off 2lbs higher. He resumes his season back on the turf today off his lowest ever handicap mark. He must shoulder top weight today but this is a drop in grade and stall 1 is absolutely perfect for him. The drop back in trip to 5 furlongs looks ideal and there are plenty of positives about Stuart Williams’ runner.

2 LATHOM – Without a win since July 2015 which came off just 1lb lower than today’s mark. He wasn’t far away in some similar handicaps to today’s throughout last summer but the handicapper had him where he wanted him and that showed through his consistent performances. He’s down 2lbs again and the booking of Ryan Moore suggests connections feel he’s back to a threatening mark. David O’Meara has a 13% strike rate at Epsom.

3 MAJESTIC HERO – Denied of victory on his seasonal reappearance at Newmarket by a short head off today’s mark. This run comes just 8 days later but he’s clearly been freshened up over the winter and connections clearly have him ready. He’s received a poor draw and must come out of stall 9 and there’s a sense that the cats out of the bag with this one now. Likely to go well again and worth respect off the same mark.

4 PIXELEEN – Without a win since July 2015 but she has placed on 10 starts since and has shown some real consistency in defeat. The handicapper has her where he wants her now off a mark of 86 although she should improve for her seasonal return to action when last of five at Bath just 12 days ago. She has something to find on form with a few of these and others have more attractive profiles. Opposed.

5 MONUMENTAL MAN – Beat Sandfrankskipsgo in a weaker grade than this back in March over 5 furlongs and he’s 4lbs worse off at the weights for a neck victory today. He races off a career high mark today and this will naturally require a career best effort from the 8-year-old of the Michael Attwater stable. All of his victories have come in a weaker grade than this and he’s likely to find a few just too good today.

6 JUST THAT LORD – Made a pleasing return to action at Kempton earlier this month when a 1 1/4 length third of six. The handicapper has dropped him a pound for that run and that leaves him 9lbs higher than his last winning mark which came in a Class 5 handicap. He has placed off 2lbs higher and he is worth another chance in this grade given he’s still lightly-raced. Improvement is expected for a yard that have had a winner in the past fortnight.

7 DUTIFUL SON – Won a Class 4 handicap over 6 furlongs at Kempton last month and that was his best performance of the winter having struggled over 7 furlongs and a mile. He has to prove he has the pace for the minimum trip off a 4lb higher mark and he may find this slightly too tough. Jim Crowley remains on board which is an obvious positive but the yard have sent out just 2 winners from 45 runners at Epsom.

8 MAJOR PUSEY – Well-beaten on his seasonal reappearance at Kempton when last of 9, beaten 6 lengths. He should come on for that but his form towards the end of last season was poor and he needs to demonstrate a revival in form. He has slipped down to a mark of 80 which puts him a pound under his last winning mark and whilst the step back down in trip is a positive, he has plenty of questions to answer in this.

9 SANDFRANKSKIPSGO – Thoroughly exposed handicapper who races off 5lbs lower than his last winning mark. He finished a neck behind Monumental Man at Lingfield last month and he should get the better of that rival today on much better terms. He has a poor draw in stall 11 to deal with which makes life extremely difficult and his yard have yet to send out a winner at Epsom from 20 attempts. Not without a chance but he has a few obstacles to overcome.

10 L C SALOON – Lightly-raced sort making just his sixth start today and he’s shown very modest form since winning a maiden back in July. He’s dropped a pound for an average run at Southwell earlier this month and whilst that should see him strip fitter here, his overall form needs plenty of improvement. He is open to progression unlike some in this and the booking of Josephine Gordon is positive, but others make more appeal.

11 NORMAL EQUILIBRIUM – Had slipped to a nice mark but he couldn’t score off 3lbs lower in much weaker contests than this and he’s up against it here today. He’s up 3lbs in the weights following a 4 1/4 length defeat at Wolverhampton last month and he’s another that has to contend with a poor draw today (stall 10). He retains some ability but he’s 3lbs wrong at the weights here and he’s tricky to make a case for having failed to win in weaker company than this.