City And Suburban Handicap Tips & Betting Preview

This is the City And Suburban Handicap, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: The Richard Fahey trained INNOCENT TOUCH has an excellent chance of victory today in this tricky handicap. He’s a C&D winner which counts for a lot at Epsom and he should be seen to much better effect with a recent run under his belt off a fair mark. Brorocco may be capable of better this season off what could be a useful mark whilst Dolphin Vista has every right to be at the head of the betting following his Lincoln fifth.

1 GREAT HALL – Classy sort who completed a double last season in two decent Class 3 handicaps. The handicapper has been in control ever since having raised him to a mark of 103 although he has shown some relent of late, dropping him to 102 following a below par run at Pontefract. Pat Cosgrave is back aboard which is positive although he’ll do well to give away weight to some of these and looks high enough in the weights.

2 EDDYSTONE ROCK – Ran a lovely race at Doncaster in the Lincoln following a quiet winter which included two runs at St Moritz. The handicapper has dropped him a pound which leaves him on a mark of 99 which looks high enough in this and a few of his rivals look slightly better treated today. He should be dangerous again if he can improve from that Doncaster run and the betting may be the best guide to his chances.

3 SPEED COMPANY – Lightly-raced sort who progressed towards the end of last season to win a Class 3 handicap off a mark of 94. He’s been raised 5lbs for that success which forces him back up into Class 2 company which inevitably makes life harder having been well-beaten off marks lower than this previously. Ryan Moore is an eye-catching booking (20% strike rate in the past fortnight) and the trip and ground look ideal. Interesting.

4 DOLPHIN VISTA – Finished just ahead of Speed Company at Doncaster earlier this month finishing fifth of the 22-strong field. He’s been on an upward curve since the beginning of last year having won handicaps off 88 and 95 and this will require a big effort to score off this mark today. He’s still unexposed at this trip and Connor Murtagh claims a valuable 7lbs in the saddle today. The yard are in good form of late (18% strike rate in the past fortnight) and he has a serious chance of winning this.

5 INNOCENT TOUCH – Got the better of Sennockian Star to win a Class 3 C&D handicap last August. He found life tougher in two Class 2 handicaps since but arrives here off a recent run and he’s another runner from the Richard Fahey stable that looks capable of striking in this. He lacks some of the scope of his rivals given he’s now a 6yo making his 34th start but that shouldn’t rule him out and Tony Hamilton gets on well with him. Strong chances today.

6 BANDITRY – Has won his last 3 flat starts off marks of 81 and 86 with a stint at hurdling in-between and he’s shown plenty of progression. Ian Williams looks to have found the key to this horse and he is kept over 1m 2f today which should be ideal on this Good ground. He’s been handed a poor draw in stall 11 which makes life slightly tougher but he’s worth another chance off this 5lb higher mark and he’s worth close attention in the betting stepping back up in grade.

7 DUTCH UNCLE – Beaten by Banditry at Lingfield back in February and he struggled off a 4lb higher mark on the All-Weather in March. That came in a Class 3 contest and it’s possible that the handicapper has him where he wants him now racing off a mark of 90, especially given he’s only won once from 11 starts on the turf. Silvestre De Sousa takes the ride but others make more appeal at today’s weights.

8 STORM ROCK – Remains 3lbs higher than his last winning mark but that came in a Class 2 event and he’s capable of striking off this mark. His form needs to be improved upon following two heavy defeats most recently at Kempton although he should strip fitter here. He’s not the safest of prospects on the back of that although his yard have had a winner from their last 6 runners and he couldn’t be ruled out.

9 GAWDAWPALIN – C&D winner and he thrashed his opponents in a handicap here last June. He’s on a 14lb higher mark this year but that’s not beyond him having run to a decent standard on two All-Weather runs earlier this year. They are likely to have sharpened him up and a return to 1m 2f should be ideal. Has something to find with a few of these but perhaps a return to Epsom will see him home in front again.

10 ABAREEQ – Beat Gawdawpalin earlier this year at Lingfield by 2 1/2 lengths. He races off a 2lb lower mark here today than when recording that success given he’s rated 15lbs inferior on the turf having failed to score in 7 attempts. Stall 1 is ideal for him but he’s hard to fancy in these conditions for a yard that haven’t been firing on all cylinders so far this season (4 wins from 50 runners in the past fortnight). Others make more appeal today.

11 VAN HUYSEN – Won a couple of lower grade handicaps at Lingfield at the end of last year and he’s run to a consistent level since at the same track off marks in the mid-80’s. He looks high enough in the weights based on what he’s achieved to date and this tougher grade will make life much harder. He’s been drawn in stall 13 which is a big negative and others have more attractive profiles in this.

12 BROROCCO – Ran a respectable race at Chelmsford earlier this month behind some nice sorts and he’ll come on plenty for that. He’s still a lightly-raced sort and there should be more to come as a 4yo off a mark of 85. He has some improvement to find on form to put him amongst the contenders in this following a couple of lower grade handicaps but he’s another worth close market attention with scope for improvement.

13 FAITHFUL CREEK – Finished second last time out behind a runaway winner who races in the race 3.15 (Galapiat). A win for that rival would be an obvious form boost and his trainer has clearly got him ready following a good winter campaign which includes a victory and a couple of placed efforts. This requires another step up in form but he’s worth his chance receiving plenty of weight and Luke Morris takes the ride.