16:30 Bangor

Saturday 21 April 2018

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0017:35

Alpha (Wrexham) Windows 25th Anniversary Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 6m 29.20s

Pistol Shoot⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin| OR: 102

10/1

Stratford bumper winner in June 2017 (2m good), but largely disappointing over hurdles so far. The jury is out with regards his stamina reserves for staying trips, but dropped 5lb for just his second start in a handicap. Chasing debut.

Form: 12740P

Jack In A Box^b1¹⁷²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Hawke| OR: 97

9/2

Not seen masses of action over the past 12 months (lame), but looks every inch a handicap chaser in the making. Runner up on soft ground at Chepstow (3m), 13 months back. Wears first time blinkers.

Form: 1/2232-P

Johnny Yuma⁸⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 95| D

12/1

Never figured in any of his four starts over hurdles, but is an Irish point winner who goes handicap chasing from a modest mark, so improvement could be a distinct possibility.

Form: 189850

Spirit Of Hale^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 93| CD

5/2

Broke the maiden tag when scoring by an idling ½L over C&D last month (soft). Obvious that he has his own ideas about the racing game (runs in snatches), but hard to gauge fully the merit of that success, so a 4lb rise could be lenient.

Form: 5-44341

Amerton Lane⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 83

20/1

Shown very little over hurdles, including on three previous visits to this track. All hopes pinned on fences proving more to his liking (looks unlikely).

Form: 73-88P

Is Love Alive^t⁹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: David Noonan| T: A Wintle| OR: 81| D

6/1

Ex Irish-racer who is 0 from 12 over fences. Pulled up after 15 months off the track (stable debut) at Hereford in January. Couldn't be considered at present despite a free-falling handicap mark.

Form: 3P535-P

Killare Castle^b,t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: P W Flynn| OR: 80

12/1

0 from 12 over fences with recent form figures of F,P,7 not exactly flattering at first glance. However, held every chance when falling at the last at Tramore on New Years Day (2m5f heavy), and this isn't overly competitive.

Form: F54FP7

Touch Of Steel^v³⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: J E Moore| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 79| D

20/1

Formerly with James Ewart (four time hurdles winner at up to 3m), but pulled up on his last three starts over fences and seemingly hasn't improved for wind surgery.

Form: 98-7PPP

Heavenly Promise²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: J Groucott| OR: 76| BF

7/2

Threatens to break her maiden tag at some point (0 from 18), but generally weak at the finish. Tried her best when a ¾L runner up at Hereford last month (2m5f soft), but that wasn't quite enough.

Form: 5U3452

Forecasts

Spirit Of Hale (5/2), Heavenly Promise (7/2), Jack In A Box (9/2), Is Love Alive (6/1), Pistol Shoot (10/1), Johnny Yuma (12/1), Killare Castle (12/1), Amerton Lane (20/1), Touch Of Steel (20/1)

An uncompetitive contest which provides the likes of Killare Castle and Heavenly Promise with another chance to shed the maiden tag over fences, but the suspicion is that they'll be found wanting once more. Spirit Of Hale is the obvious angle being a winner over C&D last month, and probably value for more than the final margin a 4lb rise could well be lenient. However, JACK IN A BOX has always looked a handicap chaser in the making, and whilst it's taking a risk investing heavily on his return to action (finished lame in late October), he's worth a small investment in a very winnable contest.