18:45 Ripon

Friday 6 May 2022

All17:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Dr Keith Howard OBE Memorial Handicap

Off time: 18:47 | Winning time: 1m 11.07s

(4)

Fortamour²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: P Mulrennan| T: B Haslam| OR: 85| CD

13/8

Career best when winning 9-runner handicap at this C&D (heavy, 5/2) 22 days ago, well on top finish. Forecast quicker ground won't be an issue and this 5 lb higher mark may well be within reach.

Form: 072-751

(3)

Imperium Blue¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Faye McManoman⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 84| CD

17/2

C&D winner. Below form fifth of 10 in handicap at Redcar (6f, good, 14/1) 18 days ago. Entitled to come on for that and not without each-way hope.

Form: 23730-5

(5)

Mark's Choice²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: O McSweeney⁽⁵⁾| T: S England| OR: 82| CD

7/1

Four-time C&D winner. 13 lengths eighth of 9 to Fortamour in handicap (11/2) at this C&D (heavy) 22 days ago. That was his first run for seven months, so he may well be all the better for it, but others look stronger all the same.

Form: 71201-8

(1)

Cottam Lane²⁰⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Alex Jary⁽⁷⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 81| D

25/1

9/2, eighth of 9 in handicap at Chelmsford City (6f). Off 6 months ahead of this debut for new yard and he's probably best watched on this occasion.

Form: 441538-

(2)

Flying Pursuit^t²¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: Brandon Wilkie⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 78| CD

33/1

Four-time C&D winner. Eleventh of 15 in handicap (8/1) at Nottingham (6.1f, good). Off 7 months and while he has edged down to a potentially handy mark, slower ground would have been preferable. Manigordo appears to be the stable No 1.

Form: 500000-

(6)

Manigordo^p,t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 77| D

9/2

Fourteen runs since last win in 2021. 9/1, 12¼ lengths seventh of 9 to Fortamour in handicap at this C&D (heavy) 22 days ago. Conditions were against him that day and better can be expected this time.

Form: 79844-7

(7)

Twilight Secret⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S H James| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 77| BF| D

11/2

First run since leaving James Tate when creditable third of 7 in handicap at Musselburgh (7.2f, good, 5/2) 8 days ago. More needed, but drop back in trip looks a good move and he's not discounted.

Form: 22521-3

(8)

Shallow Hal¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: Sam Feilden⁽⁷⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 74| BF| D

13/2

Nineteen runs since last win in 2021. Fifth of 7 in handicap at Ayr (6f, good, 11/8) 10 days ago. May well exploit this attractive turf mark at some point during the season, but others make more appeal on this occasion.

Form: 243225

Non-Runners

(9)

Dream Composer¹²

Weight: 9-5| Age: 4

T: H J Evans J: G Lee

Forecasts

Fortamour (13/8), Manigordo (9/2), Twilight Secret (11/2), Shallow Hal (13/2), Mark's Choice (7/1), Dream Composer (15/2), Imperium Blue (17/2), Cottam Lane (25/1), Flying Pursuit (33/1)

MANIGORDO was successful second time out last season and is taken to repeat the dose this time round. The heavy ground was surely to blame for his low-key reappearance in the C&D handicap won by Fortamour last month and conditions will be more suitable on this occasion. Fortamour is likely to give another good account off this 5 lb higher mark, and he is feared most ahead of Dream Composer and Twilight Secret.