Race To Watch / Timeform / 27 May 2009 / Leave a comment

Timeform reflect on the Victor Chandler handicap which took place at Newmarket on Sunday May 24th.

On Sunday there was an interesting six-furlong handicap at Newmarket. Ten went to post for the contest and it looks as though the form of the race will work out well. The field was a bit disjointed initially but all the runners ended up towards the stand rail and the race was truly run.

The race was won by Jimmy Styles who has really come into his own this season and took this in impressive fashion, tracking the pace before cruising through and he was soon on top to secure another winner for the in-form Clive Cox team. He looks a horse to follow and will be a big player in the prestigious handicaps for the remainder of the season, starting with the Wokingham in which his record on the track strengthens his case.

Everymanforhimself was second and ran another good race in defeat. Since his reappearance run, which he may have needed, he has been in good form. Only narrowly denied at York in a similar contest he never really looked like getting to the emphatic winner here but finished well in a first time visor, passing three horses in the final furlong. He may prove hard to place, as he battles with the handicapper, but is generally a consistent performer.

Orpenindeed raced along the stands´ rail and showed good early pace. He was away from the rest of the runners for the first part of the race but stuck on well for third and is pretty consistent.

The real eye-catcher, and possibly the one to take out of the race, was Musaalem who eclipsed the memory of his below form performances at the end of 2008 and also left the impression he still has untapped potential. Slowly away, he was held up last of all and made up ground the best he could in the time he had left. This was his first start for eight months and he seems to have come back looking the horse he promised to be around this time last year, and the run here will set him up for bigger targets ahead, he holds a Wokingham entry.