20:05 Pontefract
Friday 21 July 2017
All18:3019:0019:3520:0520:3521:05
Alamo Business Systems Handicap
- 3YO plus  |  Class 3  |  1m 6y  |  Good to Firm  |  7 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 20:07Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 1m 44.44s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Ran out a narrow winner of the Thirsk Hunt Cup in May from just a 1lb lower mark and has kept strong company since. However, just a few signs on his latest start that those exertions are staring to take their toll, and this useful sort might be freshened up by a break.
Won three times last year, including for this excellent rider in a 1m Sandown fillies handicap in September. Has kicked around in Listed and Group races this year so far and with those contests clearly beyond her will relish a drop back into this grade despite being 11lb above her last winning mark.
Career course form figures read; 1,2,6,2,2 providing clear evidence that this stiff 1m suits. However, has developed into a 1m2f Ripon specialist in 2017 winning three times in North Yorkshire since May. Up another 5lb for his latest success but tough, doing it the hard way from the front.
C&D winner in April 2016 (soft) and can be relied upon to run his race at this track (runner up to Gurkha Brave last year). Kept good company all year since a narrow third to Cote d'Azur in the Thirsk Hunt Cup in May and fancied to extract his revenge on that rival from a 3lb lower mark.
Kept on strongly to dispatch Sands Chorus by 2¼L over C&D in April but bogged down on soft ground at Haydock on her next outing. Up 7lb for that course success to a career high mark, but presumably this race has been on the agenda.
Raised 2lb for his C&D success earlier this month in a Class 4 handicap. The runner up in that race (Full Of Promise) was well held at Beverley on Monday and whilst perfectly entitled to line up, this looks like he's flying too high.
A three time career winner (twice on the AW) and has competed well in decent handicaps down South of late; notably when runner up to Examiner at Salisbury in late June. Tough, versatile and well travelled which is exactly what one expects from a Mark Johnston trained three-year-old and not one that should be dismissed lightly.
Non-Runners
4
(8)
Candelisa27
Weight: 9-11|Â Â Age: 4
T: Jedd O'Keeffe  J: G Lee
NR
7
(5)
Roller36
Weight: 9-8|Â Â Age: 4
T: M & D Easterby  J: Harrison Shaw
NR
8
(10)
Torrid50
Weight: 9-4|Â Â Age: 6
T: M & D Easterby  J: Cam Hardie
NR
Forecasts
Sands Chorus (7/2), Spring Offensive (4/1), Destroyer (9/2), Morning Suit (9/2), Crowning Glory (6/1), Torrid (7/1), Cote d'Azur (8/1), Roller (8/1), Candelisa (10/1), Red Tea (14/1)
A strong 1m handicap on a difficult Friday Evening card at Pontefract. There aren't too many of these runners that you'd readily rule out of contention, so whilst respecting the claims of the majority, it probably pays to seek a little value in making a selection. SPRING OFFENSIVE fits that profile nicely with a little work to do to overturn Thirsk Hunt Cup form from May with Cote d'Azur. However, this track clearly plays to his strengths (previous C&D winner) and he's not been disgraced in better company since, including behind GK Chesterton (sixth) on Oaks day in early June. The handicapper has cut him a few pounds slack since, and the additional 7lb taken from his back by Connor Murtagh (who rode him at Thirsk) is most welcome.
- Spring Offensive
- Morning Suit
- Sands Chorus
Prize Money
1st: £7,763.002nd: £2,310.003rd: £1,154.004th: £577.00
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