13:25 Pontefract

Friday 31 July 2020

All12:2512:5513:2513:5514:2514:5515:2515:55

Fly High Faye Nickels Handicap

  • 3YO plus  |   Class 5  |   6f  |   Good to Firm (Good in places)  |   12 Runners  |   Turf  |   Weighed In
  • Off time: 13:26  |   Winning time: 1m 16.91s
The word Sky in blue and Bet in white with a red background.
The word Betfair in black.
The words Paddy Power in green.
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
2
(9)
Horse silk
Musharrift37
Age: 8|  Weight: 9-13| J: Zak Wheatley(7)| T: D Carroll| OR:  76| CD
16/1
Kept on strongly when scoring readily over C&D (Class 3) last July; solid immediately after (32) - form closely associated with Magical Effect; displayed plenty of pace before weakening on recent return to the track at Hamilton (5f, good to soft).
3
(11)
Horse silk
The Armed Man20
Age: 7|  Weight: 9-12| J: Paula Muir(3)| T: C W Fairhurst| OR:  75| D
18/1
Without a win since April 2019 (6f, Redcar) but has slipped down the weights accordingly - now 7lb below that winning mark; kept on from the rear (eighth) over an inadequate 5f at Newcastle three weeks ago.
5
(3)
Horse silk
Kindly15
Age: 7|  Weight: 9-12| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR:  75| D
5/2
Took advantage of an easing mark when returning to this trip at Hamilton (good) 15 days ago - beat Inexes by a comfortable 1¾L; still capable of playing a leading role despite the subsequent 5lb rise; fourth in a C&D Class 2 (September 2019).
6
(4)
Horse silk
Firmdecisions6
Age: 10|  Weight: 9-11| J: Rowan Scott| T: N Tinkler| OR:  74| D
20/1
Conditions favourable and undoubtedly on a feasible mark (72), but the fear is that he's not the force of old as he enters the twilight era of his racing career; was a never involved eighth of 13 at York (6f, good) last weekend.
7
(15)
Horse silk
Swift Approval7
Age: 8|  Weight: 9-11| J: D Tudhope| T: P S McEntee| OR:  74| D
8/1
Ex-Stuart Williams; has shown a fair level of form in both recent runs for this trainer, including when runner-up (28-1) to the John Gosden-trained Al Rufaa at Newmarket (7f, Class 4) last Friday; wide draw is the major inconvenience.
8
(1)
Horse silk
Lofty12
Age: 4|  Weight: 9-11| J: R P Downey| T: T D Barron| OR:  74
9/1
Beat Amplification by a head when breaking his duck on the AW at Newcastle (7f) in February; less effective on turf since (0-2) and now competes over 6f for the first time since October 2019; look elsewhere.
9
(10)
Horse silk
War Whisper8
Age: 7|  Weight: 9-10| J: Barry McHugh| T: P T Midgley| OR:  73| C
10/1
Doesn't win all that often (3-34 career), and is yet to score beyond the minimum trip; kept on from an unpromising position (was slowly away) when fourth to his well-backed stablemate Saluti over 5f here last week; 2lb ease in the weights helpful.
10
(7)
Horse silk
Kupa River5
Age: 6|  Weight: 9-9| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR:  72| BF| D
6/1
Runner-up to Magical Effect at Thirsk (7f, good to soft) in late June, and again took minor honours (third) on the AW at Wolverhampton (7f) latest; handicapped to have a say and versatile in terms of trip, but thought likely to find a few stronger.
11
(2)
Horse silk
Six Strings140
Age: 6|  Weight: 9-8| J: S A Gray| T: M Appleby| OR:  71| D
12/1
Became somewhat of a Southwell regular between January and March 2020 (33225); returns to action off a 140-day absence from a mark which is 10lb lower than for his last spin on turf (October 2019).
12
(8)
Horse silk
Mr Orangep28
Age: 7|  Weight: 9-7| J: G Lee| T: P T Midgley| OR:  70| CD
14/1
C&D specialist (last three wins here) who tends to come good in mid-summer and now sits 5lb below his last winning mark; no obvious signs that his turn was imminent at Hamilton (6f, soft) four weeks ago; stablemate of War Whisper.
13
(5)
Horse silk
Iva Reflectionb13
Age: 3|  Weight: 9-5| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR:  73
15/2
Has twice hit the woodwork since the resumption of racing (at Thirsk and Ripon), nudging up the weights by a couple of pounds as a result; excuse (stumbled at the start) when switching back to 5f at York (good) a fortnight ago.
15
(12)
Horse silk
Grace And Virtue11
Age: 3|  Weight: 8-8| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR:  62
14/1
Lightly-raced filly who has probably drawn some benefit from wind surgery; always in the van when a keeping on second to Jordan Electrics (6f, good to firm) on turf debut at Ayr 11 days ago; a subsequent 1lb rise appears fair.

Non-Runners

1
(6)
Horse silk
Magical Effect14
Weight: 10-0|  Age: 8
T: Mrs R Carr  J: Non Runner
NR
4
(14)
Horse silk
Nubough17
Weight: 9-12|  Age: 4
T: I Jardine  J: A Mullen
NR
14
(13)
Horse silk
Final Frontier15
Weight: 9-3|  Age: 7
T: Mrs R Carr  J: Non Runner
NR

Forecasts

Kindly (5/2), Kupa River (6/1), Iva Reflection (15/2), Swift Approval (8/1), Lofty (9/1), War Whisper (10/1), Six Strings (12/1), Final Frontier (12/1), Grace And Virtue (14/1), Mr Orange (14/1), Musharrif (16/1), Magical Effect (16/1), The Armed Man (18/1), Firmdecisions (20/1), Nubough (25/1)

Verdict

A thoroughly competitive 6f sprint. Swift Approval has twice run well since joining Phil McEntee, but he's inconvenienced by the widest draw of all in stall 15. The three-year-old's Iva Reflection and Grace And Virtue could feasibly have more too offer, whilst it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the C&D winner Musharrif could improve for his Hamilton run. Final Frontier and Kindly are closely matched, although the strong suspicion is that Mick Easterby's mare will once more prevail in that battle. However, the solution may ultimately lie with Paul Midgley's fairly-weighted WAR WHISPER who missed the break when fourth to stablemate Saluti here (5f) latest.
  1. War Whisper
  2. Kindly
  3. Musharrif

Prize Money

1st: £3,493.002nd: £1,040.003rd: £519.004th: £260.00

MOST READ RACING

Follow & Track
Image of a horse race faded in a gold gradientYour favourite horses, jockeys and trainers with My Stable
Log in
Discover Sporting Life Plus benefitsWhite Chevron
Sporting Life Plus Logo

RACING TIPS

Next Off