14:20 Pontefract

Tuesday 7 July 2020

All12:1512:4513:1513:5014:2014:5015:2015:5516:30

Napoleons Casino Bradford Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 1m 45.02s

(5)

Casement¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 77| CD

4/1

C&D winner who hasn't look to get the rub of the green in his two starts since racing resumed especially last time at Thirsk (1m, good). Forced wide, he wasn't seen to best effect, slips back below his last winning mark, not easily written off.

Form: 2108-47

(2)

Dancin Boy²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: A Mullen| T: M Dods| OR: 75

10/3

One win (on reappearance) was a disappointing return last year during which he had a patchy profile. Would have needed the outing on return this year (had wind op), well backed last time when runner-up at Beverley (8.5f), not sure to be in same form.

Form: 3890-52

(9)

Ghalib²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: D Tudhope| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 73| D

22/1

Given an awkward wide draw for this second run back having run poorly on his reappearance at Beverley (7.4f, good). Edged down below his last winning mark although he may need more give in the ground to return to his best, others appeal more.

Form: 53777-0

(1)

Harvest Day^t³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 72| D

4/1

Caught the eye last time when returning to action having had another wind op shaping well behind a well-handicapped winner at Haydock (1m, good). Nicely drawn to track the speed she looks well worth considering here off a workable mark.

Form: 62129-4

(10)

Keswick¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Marco Ghiani⁽⁵⁾| T: H Main| OR: 71

9/1

Revived last time out with all the usual headgear removed at Leicester (8.2f, good/firm), possibly just lacking in fitness on a return from a break. 0-7 on turf, all his wins so far have come in AW surfaces, enthusiasm is tempered by an awkward draw.

Form: 34-5982

(8)

Five Diamonds¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: B A Curtis| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 69

14/1

Lightly-raced sort, a Yarmouth 7f maiden winner for William Haggas she shaped as if needing the run on her reappearance/stable debut over 1m at Redcar. Not fully exposed she may be able to produce more with that outing tucked away.

Form: 215-7

(3)

Billy Roberts²²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Phil Dennis| T: R M Whitaker| OR: 69| CD

7/2

One of the pace angles in the race this C&D winner is nicely positioned (may not get an easy lead). Strong in the betting on his return over C&D (finished fourth), that form has been well advertised, 5lb below his last C&D win victory.

Form: 25430-4

(6)

Daafr²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 68

40/1

Doubts remain about his effectiveness on turf (0-9) whereas he's 3-13 on AW having won back to back handicaps at up to 9.5f earlier in the year at Wolverhampton. Struggled to find his form since racing resumed, one of the lesser lights in this.

Form: 911409

(7)

Sands Chorus^p³⁰⁰

18/1

One of three front-runners in the race this C&D winner makes his stable/seasonal debut off the back of a break/wind op. Losing run stretches back as far as July 2017, likely to need this race despite an easing mark in a less than ideal scenario.

Form: 050540-

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 15p in the pound

Non-Runners

(4)

Destroyer¹²

Weight: 8-8| Age: 7

T: T P Tate J: J P Sullivan

Forecasts

Dancin Boy (10/3), Billy Roberts (7/2), Harvest Day (4/1), Casement (4/1), Destroyer (5/1), Keswick (9/1), Five Diamonds (14/1), Sands Chorus (18/1), Ghalib (22/1), Daafr (40/1)

With three that like to go forward in this we should see a well-run race with all three being winners over C&D, Destroyer and Billy Roberts would be the pick of that trio but the fact remains they could set this up for one of the closers. HARVEST DAY would be the pick of those ridden with more patience especially as the Mick Easterby yard appear to be emerging from a quiet spell, her run at Haydock last time catching the eye. Dancin Boy can be given a chance but he’s not the most consistent despite being left on a decent mark. Of those at bigger prices the fourth C&D winner in the field Casement is entitled to outrun his price.