16:00 Haydock

Thursday 25 May 2023

All14:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0517:40

Sandbach Handicap

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 1m 0.02s

(1)

Swayze³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: W Muir & C Grassick| OR: 85| CD

2/1

C&D winner last summer and made a successful start to this season at Newcastle in March. Perhaps conditions were too testing at Doncaster and Newbury since but looks vulnerable off present mark in any case.

Form: 202-160

(7)

Manila Scouse^t¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: P Mulrennan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 80| D

6/1

Ended 2-y-o campaign on a winning note at Catterick and, despite missing the whole of last season (gelded in the interim), he resumed with a near miss at Ripon (5f, heavy) recently. 3 lb rise fair and should be in the mix if handling conditions (unraced on ground faster then good to soft).

Form: 5221/2

(2)

Catch Cunningham^b1¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 79| D

6/1

Won off this mark at York (5f, good) in September and while he hasn't troubled the judge in 2 starts since returning to action last month, his latest effort at Thirsk is best overlooked (blew the start). Could have a major role to play if responding well to the addition of blinkers.

Form: 3126-98

(8)

Dandy Dinmont²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Faye McManoman| T: N Tinkler| OR: 78| D

5/1

Signed off 2022 on a winning note at Newcastle (5f) in October and went close over the same C&D back from a break in March. Better than the bare result returned to turf at Beverley the last twice but probably a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 61-2234

(4)

So Smart¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Olivia Tubb⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 77| D

4/1

Finally got off the mark at Leicester (5f, heavy) in September and has made the frame on each of his 3 starts this time round (all on heavy ground). Effective on fast ground, too, and he has to enter the reckoning with Olivia Tubb claiming a valuable 7 lb.

Form: 680-243

(5)

Birkenhead^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-5| J: Saffie Osborne| T: P T Midgley| OR: 67| D

12/1

Hit the target twice in 2022 and resumed winning ways with cheekpieces refitted at Southwell (5f) a fortnight ago. Remains feasibly treated back up 4 lb and while this is tougher, he's certainly not without hope.

Form: 565-891

(3)

Street Life^p²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-4| J: Morgan Cole⁽⁷⁾| T: P Morris| OR: 64| CD

11/1

Five-time winner on the AW and found just one too good in an 8-runner Wolverhampton handicap (5f) on Tuesday. Strike rate is not so good on turf, though, and he's essentially opposable.

Form: 443-402

Non-Runners

(6)

Rum Cocktail²²

Weight: 9-3| Age: 4

T: E Walker J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Swayze (2/1), So Smart (4/1), Rum Cocktail (4/1), Dandy Dinmont (5/1), Manila Scouse (6/1), Catch Cunningham (6/1), Street Life (11/1), Birkenhead (12/1)

Back down in class off his last winning mark, CATCH CUNNINGHAM could be the answer if the first-time blinkers have the desired effect. So Smart hasn't done much wrong since returning to action last month and is next on the list ahead of Rum Cocktail, who returned to form starting out for her new yard at Ascot. Manila Scouse will also be a threat if able to build on his reappearance run under very different conditions here.