15:55 Thirsk

Saturday 18 May 2019

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:4018:10

JW 4x4 Northallerton Handicap

Off time: 15:56 | Winning time: 1m 10.65s

(5)

Pipers Note²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 94| D

25/1

12-time winner only went down by a nose in a strong Pontefract 5f sprint on his second run back this season but failed to back it up at Ripon over this trip. Back on last winning mark and now down to last winning grade. Should be competitive.

Form: 850-920

(8)

Get Knotted^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: R P Downey| T: M Dods| OR: 94| C| D

12/1

Notched a third 7f York win when scoring over 7f there in July, and solid efforts in defeat subsequently. Good effort at Doncaster over this distance on reappearance and eased in class. Can be involved but again ideally wants a bit further.

Form: 18456-5

(6)

Confessional^e/s⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 9-3| J: J Garritty| T: T D Easterby| OR: 90| D

12/1

Veteran was having start number 133 when making a pleasing return in a strong Chester handicap. Eased in grade but if he's to defy what remains a high handicap mark, it will probably come on much softer ground.

Form: 21371-3

(16)

Royal Brave²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: R Ffrench| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 89| D

20/1

Eased 2lb following two runs back at his beloved Musselburgh but still remains 1lb higher than last win. That came over this trip but is ideally suited by the minimum distance. Down in grade but others preferred.

Form: 5180-48

(15)

Jawwaal¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: M Dods| OR: 89| BF

7/2

Won twice for John Gosden over 7f last year, and having been gelded, continued on an upward curve with two placed efforts over this distance at Doncaster. Up 1lb but remains open to further improvement and likely to go close again.

Form: 8553-32

(4)

Hyperfocus¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 88| D

16/1

Went all last year without a win for Hugo Palmer while proving inconsistent. Failed to fire on the AW on season and stable debut and needs much softer conditions to be seen at his best. Remains best watched.

Form: 02002-6

(10)

Brian The Snail⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 87| D

8/1

Talented sprinter on his day and got his head back in front at Doncaster in 2018 in similar conditions off 8lb higher. Form has been largely disappointing since and tailed off at Chester this month. Continues to be hard to predict.

Form: 984-060

(2)

Muscika^v¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Cam Hardie| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| CD

18/1

Hard to catch right, but ran well when fifth off 4lb higher in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in September. Back on last winning mark over this C&D but has proven disappointing in two runs this season. Others look stronger candidates.

Form: 1543-66

(11)

The Armed Man²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: C W Fairhurst| OR: 86| CD

8/1

Added to a good strike-rate when making it six wins from 29 turf starts on his reappearance at Redcar. Up 4lb but that was a career-best and he has tended to be better following a run in the past. Should run a big race.

Form: 16054-1

(12)

Pennsylvania Dutch^e/s¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Sean Davis⁽⁵⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 85| CD

5/1

Has returned from wind surgery in prime form rattling off a hat-trick of successes. Up a further 5lb and now steps up again in grade but has been winning the last twice despite slow starts and likely has more to offer again. Leading contender.

Form: 760-111

(1)

Dalton¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: G Lee| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 83| D

12/1

Three wins from 14 starts and remains 5lb higher than last win. Goes well fresh so may not necessarily improve for return behind Pennsylvania Dutch and others remain better handicapped.

Form: 12564-8

(7)

Primo's Comet¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 80

22/1

Fit from an AW winter campaign and two runs back on the turf. All four wins have come over 5f and still 1lb higher than the last of them in February. Hasn't convinced in four previous tries that this distance is ideal.

Form: 341464

(13)

Orion's Bow¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Rachel Richardson| T: T D Easterby| OR: 80| CD

16/1

Solid enough fourth behind Pennsylvania Dutch over this C&D on reappearance but on a long losing sequence dating back to July 2016. Ideally would want softer ground to end that run and this is a stronger contest.

Form: 05320-4

(14)

Paddy Power¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 79| CD

9/2

Landed York handicap last summer off 1lb higher than this before form tailed off later in campaign. Built on promise of two runs back to win over this C&D and now up in class and 5lb. However all wins have come in lesser company.

Form: 000-751

Non-Runners

(9)

Gymkhana¹⁴⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 6

T: D O'Meara J: D Nolan

(3)

Quick Look²

Weight: 8-11| Age: 6

T: M & D Easterby J: Nathan Evans

Forecasts

Jawwaal (7/2), Paddy Power (9/2), Pennsylvania Dutch (5/1), Brian The Snail (8/1), The Armed Man (8/1), Dalton (12/1), Confessional (12/1), Get Knotted (12/1), Hyperfocus (16/1), Orion's Bow (16/1), Muscika (18/1), Royal Brave (20/1), Primo's Comet (22/1), Pipers Note (25/1), Quick Look (25/1), Gymkhana (33/1)

Wind surgery has clearly been the making of Pennsylvania Dutch and despite the rise in class, he's winning in the style as though a four-timer is distinctly possible. THE ARMED MAN also knows how to get his head in front on a regular basis and returned with a win that suggests he's still improving. Jawwaal is proving progressive and rates a danger.