Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 2m 41.56s

(3)

Groveman¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: J Garritty| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 81| D

9/4

No match for a well handicapped winner (Ice Pyramid) over C&D earlier this month. However, that was a reasonably positive effort on his return to Flat racing; stablemate of Sweet Dime.

Form: 335/52-2

(2)

Sweet Dime¹¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: T Eaves| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 80| D

8/1

2-3 on the AW; has left the care of Jessica Harrington (sold for 72,000gns) since winning back-to-back races over 1m4f on the Polytrack at Dundalk; fascinating to see what she's capable of this side of the Irish Sea; stablemate of Groveman.

Form: 035811-

(4)

Sexy Beast⁵⁸¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: E De Giles| OR: 78

2/1

Returns to competitive action for the first time since July 2018 (off for 581 days); low-mileage on the AW (0-2, runner-up in a C&D maiden on debut); best form came when beating African Jazz by 4L at Haydock (1m6f, gd/fm) in June 2018.

Form: 492135/

(1)

Ilhabela Fact²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: A W Carroll| OR: 78| D

7/4

Kempton regular (a five-time winner from 15 starts, 1m3f-1m4f); 2lb higher than when staying on for pressure to repel the persistent challenge of Allegiant 23 days ago; is making his first appearance on Tapeta.

Form: 7973-21

Forecasts

Ilhabela Fact (7/4), Sexy Beast (2/1), Groveman (9/4), Sweet Dime (8/1)

A small field, but potentially a tricky opener. Ilhabela Fact has been campaigned almost exclusively on the Polytrack at Kempton (5-15) since joining Tony Carroll in late 2017. He makes his Tapeta debut on the back of a battling victory there just over three weeks ago. Meanwhile, Jedd O'Keeffe holds a strong hand with his two runners, Groveman and SWEET DIME. For small stakes, a chance is taken that the Dundalk winner can land the hat-trick on her first start for the stable (a 72,000gns purchase from Jessica Harrington in December). Sexy Beast can't be definitively dismissed but is probably best watched on his return from a 581-day absence.