Betway Handicap

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 2m 38.62s

(5)

Zack Mayo⁴¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Rob Hornby| T: P J McBride| OR: 74| D

10/1

Won thrice during the course of 2017, including on Tapeta at Wolverhampton; mixed fortunes since returning to the track in late 2019, and the fear is that he'll do too much (keen) early doors; drops into a Cl6 for Fibresand debut.

Form: 59/085-9

(6)

Brooklyn Boy⁵^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: I Furtado| OR: 70| C| D

8/11

Ex-Harry Dunlop; made a seamless switch to the Fibresand with a 14L romp here (1m3f) on debut for Ivan Furtado; readily followed up at Lingfield (1m4f) last week; remains ahead of the handicapper under a 5lb penalty; tough to beat.

Form: 0350-11

(2)

Twpsyn^h1¹⁰^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Gina Mangan⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 67| CD

10/1

Stayed on strongly when scoring by 7L over C&D in November; had raced on numerous occasions thereafter (inc over hurdles) until returning to the winners enclosure at Kempton (1m4f) ten days ago; carries a 5lb penalty sporting a newly applied hood.

Form: 2618-41

(4)

Tigray^t,v⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 69| CD

12/1

C&D winner on his penultimate start (beat Adjutant by ¾L); flopped under a penalty at Newcastle the following week, so it's difficult to know exactly what to expect a further seven days on from that laboured effort.

Form: 73-4717

(1)

Star Ascending^p¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: J Fanning| T: J Candlish| OR: 66| CD

20/1

Five-time C&D winner (four under Joe Fanning); was facing a stiff task (third) against the progressive Arabian King here 12 days ago; unfortunately for his connections he meets a similar type today in the shape of Brooklyn Boy.

Form: 343-403

(3)

Mukha Magic^e/s1¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: George Rooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Gay Kelleway| OR: 66

4/1

Stayed on well inside the final furlong when returning to action at Chelmsford (1m2f) a fortnight ago; wears eye-shields for his Fibresand debut (second attempt at this 1m4f trip); 5lb above his winning turf mark; retains potential.

Form: 32144-3

Forecasts

Brooklyn Boy (8/11), Mukha Magic (4/1), Zack Mayo (10/1), Twpsyn (10/1), Tigray (12/1), Star Ascending (20/1)

The newly hooded Twpsyn and the thriving BROOKLYN BOY carry 5lb penalties for respective wins at Kempton and Lingfield. However, a strong preference is for the Ivan Furtado-trained runner (seeks a hat-trick) who remains a step or two ahead of the handicapper. He was a decisive course winner (1m3f) on his first start for the yard earlier this month and has more to offer than the exposed Fibresand regulars Tigray and Star Ascending. Of the remainder, Mukha Magic could feasibly work his way into the frame if sharper and fitter for a recent Chelmsford spin (finished a keeping on third).