18:30 Pontefract

Friday 24 May 2019

All18:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Alamo Business Systems Handicap

Off time: 18:30 | Winning time: 1m 45.48s

(9)

Trinity Star^v⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Beasley| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 74| CD

9/2

Pontefract specialist; 9lb higher than when staying on strongly to beat Zlatan by 3¾L in this very race 12 months ago (good); looked to be in need of the race on return from a near nine month absence at Newcastle in March.

Form: 01022-8

(6)

International Law¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 71| D

8/1

His sole previous turf win (1-11) came on soft ground; has developed into a consistent AW performer in recent months - just 2lb higher than when beating Energio Flavio by 1L at Wolverhampton (1m+) on his penultimate start.

Form: 98-1015

(4)

Quoteline Direct^h²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: G Lee| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 69| C| D

8/1

Dual Pontefract scorer (1m2f) in July 2018; well below that level of form last back-end/early this season, but posted a slightly improved effort when finishing a plugging on 4½L fourth (33/1) to Kripke over C&D 23 days ago; stablemate of Frankster.

Form: 2460-94

(2)

Miss Sheridan²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 69| CD

8/1

C&D winner (April 2017); won twice from 14 starts at or around this trip in 2018 (Haydock and Chester); promises to be suited by the forecast conditions, albeit needs to raise her game significantly from her Thirsk (7f) seasonal reappearance.

Form: 15970-0

(5)

Final Frontier^b1²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: J Garritty| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 69

12/1

6f Group 3 winning juvenile for Jessica Harrington (Curragh); 0-5 for Ruth Carr - plunging a combined total of 16lb in the weights; always in the rear (8th of 11) on Wetherby turf return; stamina questions over 1m; blinkers applied.

Form: 8/6369-8

(7)

Channel Packet⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 66| D

6/1

Campaigned on the AW over the winter, exclusively at Chelmsford (a game winner over tonight's 1m trip in November 2018); possibly didn't see out the 1m2f trip on his turf return at Redcar.

Form: 1-56330

(3)

Straight Ash¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: Ollie Pears| OR: 64| D

5/1

Formerly with Richard Hannon but has also done well since joining Ollie Pears; 1lb lower than when scoring at Musselburgh (1m1f, good) last August; not far from his peak form when hitting the frame at Beverley (7½f) latest; holds every chance.

Form: 2150-73

(1)

Frankster^p,t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Rob J Fitzpatrick⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 61| CD

3/1

Infrequent winner (1-18), but clearly appreciates racing at Pontefract (broke the maiden tag over C&D (soft) in late 2017); not disgraced over 1m2f here on recent seasonal return, and now 3lb lower; stablemate of Quoteline Direct.

Form: 1/4955-4

Non-Runners

(8)

Magic City¹⁰

Weight: 9-5| Age: 10

T: M & D Easterby J: Nathan Evans

Forecasts

Frankster (3/1), Trinity Star (9/2), Straight Ash (5/1), Channel Packet (6/1), Miss Sheridan (8/1), Quoteline Direct (8/1), International Law (8/1), Final Frontier (12/1), Magic City (14/1)

A tricky looking opener which features last year's decisive winner Trinity Star who arrives off a 9lb higher mark and nowhere near that level of form. Micky Hammond has his string in fine fettle (saddled a double at Hexham on Tuesday) and he is doubly represented by the Pontefract regulars Quoteline Direct and Frankster, while International Law has proved consistent on the AW in recent times. However, the tentative suggestion is the Ollie Pears-trained STRAIGHT ASH who was outpaced, yet on the premises at Beverley (7½f) 18 days ago, and should relish this stiff uphill finish over a slightly longer trip (1m).