15:51 Beverley

Monday 2 May 2022

All13:3114:0614:4115:1615:5116:2617:01

Brian Dixon Memorial Handicap

Off time: 15:52 | Winning time: 1m 46.51s

(1)

Zihaam^p⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 9-9| J: B A Curtis| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 73| CD

11/1

6-time course winner who merely closed up late when fifth in a C&D handicap on return last month and he arrives having disappointed in a Redcar claimer (10f) 4 days ago. Others more persuasive at present.

Form: 5250-55

(9)

Poet's Dawn¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: Brandon Wilkie⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 73| CD

20/1

3-time C&D winner who ran below form showed on return at Redcar when ninth of 10 in a C&D handicap 11 days ago, fading having been up with the sound pace. Not dismissed out of hand from a sliding mark.

Form: 7045-99

(8)

Plumette²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: J Mitchell| T: D Loughnane| OR: 72

8/1

2 wins from 4 runs this year. Career best when winning 9-runner handicap at Wolverhampton (8.6f, 7/2) 20 days ago, overcoming positional bias to score readily. Respected in this groove back on turf.

Form: 1/6-3131

(6)

Little Jo²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Robinson| T: G Tutty| OR: 72| BF| D

20/1

Plenty of good efforts on back of success at Thirsk (1m, heavy) last spring and sound start to present campaign when runner-up at Pontefract (1m) 4 weeks ago. However, does encounter much faster ground here.

Form: 69370-2

(2)

Dogged^p1,t1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: P J McDonald| T: R Menzies| OR: 67| D

13/2

25/1, returned to form reverting to more positive tactics when second of 10 to Al Qaasim in handicap at Pontefract (1m, soft) 21 days ago, having run of race. New headgear mix employed now and on a handy mark if building on that here.

Form: 565-582

(4)

Al Qaasim^p,t⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 67| BF| D

13/8

3 wins from 7 runs this year. Latest win at Pontefract in April. 7/4, creditable second of 7 in handicap at Ayr (10f, good) 6 days ago. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 123212

(5)

Tiger Touch²²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: S De Sousa| T: D O'Meara| OR: 67

7/1

Fairly useful performer in France (successful at 10f) who essentially never fired in trio of starts upon joining present connections last summer. However, returns with yard in good form and he's certainly not one to write off from career-low mark.

Form: 064089-

(3)

Strangerontheshore¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Faye McManoman⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 63| CD

14/1

Landed pair of Carlisle handicaps (at 7.8f) last summer and ran up to best to share the spoils on return over C&D 3 weeks ago. Shouldn't be underestimated from 2 lb higher mark.

Form: 21177-1

(11)

Motarajel^p⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 61| CD

12/1

C&D winner who returned with a creditable fifth of 15 in handicap at Thirsk (7f, good, 33/1) 7 days ago, keeping on despite carrying his head a bit awkwardly. Each-way claims from same mark returned to this venue.

Form: 36100-5

(10)

Bavardages^v⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Connor Beasley| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 59| D

8/1

Well backed in a first-time visor when ending long losing run in good style at Southwell (1m) in March, quickening to lead final 1f and keeping on well. Able to operate from lower turf mark and worth a second look

Form: 7465-61

Non-Runners

(7)

Lucayan²⁴

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: J Parr J: K Stott

Forecasts

Al Qaasim (13/8), Dogged (13/2), Tiger Touch (7/1), Lucayan (7/1), Bavardages (8/1), Plumette (8/1), Zihaam (11/1), Motarajel (12/1), Strangerontheshore (14/1), Poet's Dawn (20/1), Little Jo (20/1)

A number arrive with claims but PLUMETTE has looked better than ever since re-joining David Loughnane, overcoming a positional bias to win readily at Wolverhampton 3 weeks ago, and she gets the nod to continue the good work back on turf. Bavardages, who scored in good style at Southwell in March, is a threat along with recent Pontefract 1-2 Al Qaasim and Dogged. Tiger Touch is also worth a close look back from a break.