20:45 Thirsk

Saturday 12 May 2018

All17:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Get Daily Tips At racinguk.com Handicap

Off time: 20:50 | Winning time: 1m 13.92s

(10)

Pavers Pride^p1¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Beasley| T: N Wilson| OR: 60| C

33/1

Landed a maiden here at odds of 50/1 last summer which did little for his handicap mark. Down in the weights but still looks to have too much to do and stable have been quiet.

Form: 01449-7

(5)

Grey Destiny³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 60| D

8/1

Has improved 7lb on the AW during the winter and that is not reflected in a turf mark which has not budged accordingly. Looked unlucky at Wolverhampton on Wednesday and he went close on last turf run in similar grade.

Form: 11-4705

(9)

Cupid's Arrow¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: J Garritty| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 60| D

14/1

1-17 record with that victory gained on soft ground. Last of 14 on return and vulnerable with conditions forecast to be quick.

Form: 13035-0

(3)

Clergyman¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: D Tudhope| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 59| D

10/3

Usually attracts support when this rider is booked and yard have been going well. Yet to win on turf and current mark is well up with events.

Form: 139120

(12)

Fyrecracker³⁸⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: P Makin| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 57| DWS

16/1

Has underperformed since moving North and a year's absence does not augur well. Has had wind surgery and best watched until promising more.

Form: 59608/8-

(13)

Semana Santa⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 57| D

10/1

Record of 1-23 and handicap mark is sliding in line with her fortunes. Others have stronger claims and not ideally drawn.

Form: 5-95369

(6)

Ambitious Icarus^p¹⁸⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Paula Muir⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 57| D

22/1

Took advantage of this mark to score at Newcastle last July and scored there on his seasonal bow in 2017. New yard have had a recent winner.

Form: 333453-

(7)

Searanger²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: P J McDonald| T: R Menzies| OR: 57| D

16/1

Landed two Catterick sellers and a low grade AW handicap last year. His style of running makes him a hostage to fortune but he has a very good pilot on board.

Form: 43701-0

(11)

Unnoticed⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: A Mullen| T: Ollie Pears| OR: 56| BF

9/1

Knocking on the door recently but a 1-34 record shows he does not know the way in. Refused to enter the stalls last time.

Form: 486233

(8)

Melaniemillie¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 55| D

6/1

Used her 7f stamina to bag a Catterick sprint on soft ground last term. This trip on ground as quick as forecast could be an issue.

Form: 2272-06

(1)

Etienne Gerard^p²²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁷⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 55| D

25/1

Almost two years since his last win and he has dropped 14lb in the interim. Has shown few signs of reversing that trend and he is yet to make the frame after a break.

Form: 062578-

(14)

First Excel^b¹⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Kevin Lundie⁽⁵⁾| T: S R Bowring| OR: 55| D

14/1

All four victories have been on AW tracks. However he has gone close twice on turf on the two occasions he was allotted this mark.

Form: 406116-

(2)

Cool Strutter^e/s1¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Gemma Tutty⁽⁵⁾| T: K Tutty| OR: 54

11/2

1-33 record on turf, but he has made the frame on his last three visits here and could do so again in a race which is less competitive than the numbers suggest.

Form: 6324-83

(4)

Excellent Story^t¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S H James| T: J J Davies| OR: 54

66/1

Down the field on all five career starts and needs to up his game having finished last of 14 on reappearance.

Form: 4760-0

Forecasts

Clergyman (10/3), Cool Strutter (11/2), Melaniemillie (6/1), Grey Destiny (8/1), Unnoticed (9/1), Semana Santa (10/1), Cupid's Arrow (14/1), First Excel (14/1), Searanger (16/1), Fyrecracker (16/1), Ambitious Icarus (22/1), Etienne Gerard (25/1), Pavers Pride (33/1), Excellent Story (66/1)

This is one of those sprint handicaps which could be run several times over with a vastly different outcome each time. Cool Strutter rarely wins but he would be expected to be thereabouts given his record here and his good run last time. First Excel usually keeps to AW tracks but he has twice run on turf off today's mark and finished second. Ray Bowring's charge has improved during the winter so that gives him every chance of bagging a first turf victory. However, GREY DESTINY is another to have made progress during the winter and is better drawn. He was unlucky on Wednesday and his last turf run in this grade gives him a big shout off this weight.