Epsom Tip – City and Suburban Handicap

The Investec City And Suburban Handicap at Epsom on Wednesday afternoon (3.40pm) is now only a shadow of the major betting heat it used to be during the best part of the 20th century. However, the mile and a quarter contest still boasts decent prize money of £45,000, the lions share of which can go the way of the Mark Johnson-trained Sennockian Star who can take the race for the second time following a length and a quarter defeat of fellow rival Clayton in 2014.

The six-year-old was partnered by current champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa on that occasion and the partnership is to be renewed once again, this time off a 1lb lower mark. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar ran some fine races during that year earning a career-high rating of 106 (11lb higher than is now the case) after which the gelding found life much tougher. As the handicapper started to relent a little Sennockian Star came back to his best form at Royal Ascot last season, running subsequent Group performer Mahoob to half a length in the Wolferton Handicap.

Following a creditable run in a valuable handicap at the Curragh last September the horse’s form tailed off on his final two starts of the year but with the Johnson stable in excellent shape and the soft ground unlikely to be a problem a reproduction of the 2014 renewal could easily prove the case with Clayton, the mount of Ryan Moore, expected to prove the biggest danger along with What About Carlo.

1 Point each-way Sennockian Star  8-1 William Hill