17:05 Pontefract

Thursday 26 September 2019

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:0517:40

Join Racing TV Now Handicap

Off time: 17:05 | Winning time: 1m 3.04s

(6)

Hawaam^p⁴¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: D Tudhope| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 82| D

9/2

Best served by cut underfoot; often placed earlier in the season, yet was somewhat bouncing back to form when an all the way stands side rail winner at Thirsk (5f, good to soft) penultimate; is a subsequent 8lb rise too much?

Form: 257016

(4)

Alsvinder^p²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Sean Davis⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 77| D

20/1

Notched third AW win of the year when taking a 6f Newcastle claimer in March (joined P.Kirby thereafter); twice a runner-up at Catterick (5f-6f) recently, including when beaten a neck (in retained first-time cheekpieces) by the in-form B Fifty Two.

Form: 009202

(8)

Pipers Note^p¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: J Garritty| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 77| D

16/1

Veteran Ripon specialist (has a race named in his honour at that track); 12-73 career; well below his peak form in more recent starts - now 16lb lower than when a nose second to Mokaatil over C&D (Class 2) in April.

Form: 547570

(2)

Johnny Cavagin⁵⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 9-6| J: G Lee| T: P T Midgley| OR: 76| BF| CD

7/2

Old-stager and stablemate of Prestbury Park; was winning for the fifth time at Pontefract when beating Super Julius by a head over C&D (good) in July; fourth to a stablemate in the Chaplins Club Handicap back here since; another 2lb higher.

Form: 408214

(3)

Henley⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Cam Hardie| T: Miss Tracy Waggott| OR: 71| CD

14/1

Productive last summer, winning twice over 5f (here and at Thirsk); no real joy this year despite a significant ease in the weights (down 16lb since April); with C&D career form figures of 3252216, there'd be far worse speculative options; chance.

Form: 407606

(1)

Sheepscar Lad⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 70| BF| CD

5/2

Kicked off the 2018 season by scoring from an 11lb higher mark at Doncaster (5f, soft); 0-20 since, but has threatened to deliver the goods of late (3233); beaten just a neck by Atyaaf on good to soft at Beverley (5f) in August.

Form: 473233

(5)

Prestbury Park³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: K Stott| T: P T Midgley| OR: 65

3/1

Didn't finish far behind today's rival Sheepscar Lad when fourth at Beverley (5f, good to soft) in August; that said, without a win since August 2017 he's fast running out of excuses; sits on a joint career low mark; stablemate of Johnny Cavagin.

Form: 706746

(7)

Hawk In The Sky¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Phil Dennis| T: R M Whitaker| OR: 65| D

33/1

Took a step forward from his earlier efforts when winning a small field novice contest at Beverley (5f, good to firm) in July, accounting for the 2/11f Dream Of Honour; hasn't figured in two handicaps since (Cl 4 & 5); easing in the weights.

Form: 85177

Forecasts

Sheepscar Lad (5/2), Prestbury Park (3/1), Johnny Cavagin (7/2), Hawaam (9/2), Henley (14/1), Pipers Note (16/1), Alsvinder (20/1), Hawk In The Sky (33/1)

With Hawaam and Johnny Cavagin both steadily rising in the weights, Pipers Note badly out of form, and the likes of the capable Sheepscar Lad and Prestbury Park both increasingly difficult to win with, we'll pursue an each-way alternative. HENLEY has disappointed this season, but there's no disputing that he's now incredibly well-handicapped as a result. Effective on easy ground and with some useful C&D form figures (3252216) on his career CV, he's potentially worth risking in the hope of hitting the jackpot. Of the others, the versatile Alsvinder merits a positive word.