'He likes it around there' - can progressive course-and-distance winner repeat last month's victory?

The natural way into this handicap is Cracksking’s course-and-distance success 29 days ago from The Goat (second), Global Heat (fifth) and Gooloogong (eighth) as the first two dominate the early betting.

Cracksking will be 4lb worse off with The Goat for a length-and-three-quarter victory and has turned a corner this season following a gelding operation. Conversely, The Goat is yet to replicate the form of his 12-length strike at Glorious Goodwood on soft ground a year ago, for all his Kempton second represented a step in the right direction.

Those tempted to take a relatively short price about Cracksking or The Goat should note that both were always well positioned in a race that turned into a sprint. The held-up Gooloogong had little chance considering how events unfolded and a 5lb drop could prove generous on his second start for George Baker, whose Kempton runners are showing a £75.25 profit to £1 stakes over the last five years. 

Callum Shepherd’s booking for Gooloogong, who ran in Group races for Aidan O’Brien last summer, can be deemed a positive. Shepherd is 2-10 (£5 level-stakes profit) when combining with Baker over the past five years.

Baker could have a major say as the trainer is also responsible for Graignes and Simply Sondheim. These course winners spent much of the winter racing in Bahrain, having failed to hit the heights in the Middle East. Market moves should help to reveal the yard’s number-one hope.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of Global Heat
He leads our Royal Ascot winner Wild Tiger at home and has been going well. He has a nice draw.

George Baker, trainer of Simply Sondheim, Gooloogong and Graignes
It wasn’t the plan to have three runners in the race, but it’s the right race for them and is largely ground related. Simply Sondheim ran nicely in Bahrain when they had some ease in the ground but not so on quicker. Gooloogong came to us from Aidan O’Brien and ran a nice first race for which he has come on from. Graignes has had a break since running in Bahrain and we need to get him going, but he’s not a lover of fast ground on turf which is why were running here.  

James Fanshawe, trainer of Cracksking
He’s gone up 5lb for his win over course and distance last time and likes it around there. He’s been in good form at home since.

Jonny Portman, trainer of Way Of Life
He likes the all-weather and small fields, but he may still be in the grip of the handicapper. He was a fun horse when he was rated 53 and winning five races, but I’m sure he’ll run his usual race.

Charlie Johnston, trainer of Ludo's Landing
He's due to go up 4lb which has forced our hand to run him here as we had preferred to run him at Beverley on Saturday. He has good form on the all-weather and ran into a decent one last time so there's no reason why he can't run another solid race.
Reporting by David Milnes

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