Last week we left a loose end hanging. Coul Angel had been put up 8lb by the Irish handicapper for winning at the Curragh, and his British mark was still 94. We said he went into this week with 2 different numbers against his name. The British handicapper has now had his say, and it is a big one.
This is our Handicap Analysis, following on from last week's Devil's Peak edition, where we read the new official marks against our own ratings rather than just listing numbers. Every target race below is checked against this year's published programme, and the race links point to last year's runnings.
Coul Angel: raised 9lb, 94 to 103
Coul Angel went to the Curragh on 13 September for the Bold Lad Sprint, a Premier Handicap worth over £67,000 to the winner, and won it at 7/2 off an Irish mark of 95 for Michael Appleby and Tom Marquand. As our review put it, he was much the best, and 3 of the first 4 home were trained in Britain.
The Irish handicapper moved first, 8lb, to 103. The British one has now matched him exactly: up 9lb, from 94 to 103. The 2 numbers that were 9lb apart last Tuesday are the same number today.
This is the part worth filing away if you follow British sprinters raiding Ireland. The Irish revision lands within days, the British one waits for the next weekly publication, and in between the horse reads as well treated on one list and fully exposed on the other. That window has closed here.
Where next: 103 still fits inside the big British sprint handicaps, which stop at 105. Ascot's Class 2 over 6f in early October (last year's running, worth over £23,000 to the winner) and York's 6f heritage handicap on 10 October (last year's, over £51,000 to the winner) are both on this year's programme with that 105 ceiling, and 6f is his trip.
This week's movers at a glance
- Coul Angel: raised 9lb, 94 to 103, his British mark catching the Irish one.
- Valedictory: raised 5lb, 95 to 100, after winning the Mallard.
- Adrestia: raised 4lb, 92 to 96, after a 2nd at Doncaster.
- Tuco Salamanca: raised 4lb, 106 to 110, after a 2nd in the Ayr Gold Cup.
- Showtown: raised 3lb, 62 to 65, after a 2nd at Thirsk.
- Sorrengail: raised 3lb, 89 to 92, after winning at Newbury.
- Andesite: raised 2lb, 82 to 84, after winning at Chester.
- Farasan: a first mark of 76.
- Flower Show: a first mark of 87.
- Hypnotised: unchanged on 83 after a closing 3rd.
- Loriko: unchanged on 134 over hurdles after a 3rd at Kelso.
- Manton Bay: unchanged on 97 with the Irish handicapper.
- Two Tribes: dropped 1lb, 103 to 102, 12th in the Ayr Gold Cup.
- Thunder Call: dropped 1lb, 102 to 101.
- The Man: dropped 1lb, 87 to 86.
- Red Spells Danger: dropped 1lb, 98 to 97.
- Stem: dropped 1lb, 89 to 88.
- Supreme King: dropped 1lb, 81 to 80.
- Oneforthegutter: dropped 2lb, 84 to 82, 7th in the Autumn Cup.
Those are the numbers, and they are a matter of public record. What they are worth, and where each horse goes next, is the part below for Premium and Pro members.