Betway Handicap

Off time: 18:10 | Winning time: 1m 12.25s

(4)

Brian The Snail¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: J Garritty| T: R A Fahey| OR: 99| D

3/1

Latest win at Kempton in December. 7/2, creditable second of 5 in handicap at Lingfield (6f, AW) 11 days ago, not ideally placed. Makes fibresand debut. Yard also saddles Gabrial The Devil.

Form: 0112-42

(1)

Tawny Port⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: R Kingscote| T: S C Williams| OR: 97| BF| C| D

7/1

Course winner. 15/8, third of 5 in handicap at this course (5f) 5 days ago. Back up in trip and needs to produce a career-best in order to defy this mark.

Form: 8635-33

(5)

Shallow Hal⁵^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Pierre-Louis Jamin⁽⁵⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 88| CD

2/1

Two wins from 6 runs last year. Career best when winning 8-runner handicap (5/1) at this C&D 5 days ago by neck from Gabrial The Devil, sticking to task. Shade more needed under a penalty.

Form: 1251-81

(2)

Lomu²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: L Morris| T: D Loughnane| OR: 90| D

9/1

Latest win at Newcastle in December. 5/1, fifth of 7 in minor event at Newcastle (5f) 21 days ago. Back up in trip and greatly respected now returned to handicap company.

Form: 42513-5

(3)

Gabrial The Devil⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 88| CD

5/2

C&D winner. Latest win here in January. Creditable neck second of 8 to Shallow Hal in handicap (13/2) at this C&D 5 days ago, sticking to task. Good chance of reversing placings with that rival.

Form: 2104-12

Forecasts

Shallow Hal (2/1), Gabrial The Devil (5/2), Brian The Snail (3/1), Tawny Port (7/1), Lomu (9/1)

Preference is for GABRIAL THE DEVIL, who has taken well to this surface and is entitled to reverse recent C&D placings with Shallow Hal on these revised terms. Shallow Hal clearly goes well here, too, and should again run well, but the selection may have most to fear from Lomu. David Loughnane's charge wasn't disgraced in a minor event last time and should be more competitive back in a handicap.