BetMGM: It's Showtime Handicap

Off time: 13:00 | Winning time: 1m 23.79s

(6)

Bulldog Drummond^b,t¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Billy Loughnane| T: G Boughey| OR: 86

5/1

Is going from strength to strength and arrives on a hat-trick after bagging 6f handicaps at Newcastle and Kempton either side of Christmas. Hiked up 9 lb but holds leading claims.

Form: 82261-1

(5)

Gunfighter²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Rossa Ryan| T: H Palmer| OR: 85| D

6/5

Resumed winning ways in 7-runner nursery at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 27 days ago. Has to be taken seriously on his polytrack debut despite taking a 3 lb rise.

Form: 351851-

(3)

First Encore³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: H Crouch| T: E Walker| OR: 79| D

16/5

11/8, got off the mark in 9-runner maiden at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 35 days ago. All out there but still commands respect reverted to handicap company.

Form: 63531-

(1)

Give It Up⁸³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Rob Hornby| T: R Spencer| OR: 75

12/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Only eighth of 11 on her tapeta debut in maiden at Wolverhampton (6.1f, 8/1) 83 days ago so needs to bounce back now going into handicaps.

Form: 6278-

(2)

Loaded Gun¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 75

10/1

Winner at Chester in July. 25/1, respectable sixth of 10 in handicap at Newcastle (6f) 13 days ago. Much respected on his polytrack debut eased 1 lb.

Form: 15943-6

(4)

Petra Celera²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 73

10/1

Scored at Wolverhampton in November and in good nick since, fourth of 12 to Bulldog Drummond in nursery at Newcastle (6f) 29 days ago. Likely to be in the shake-up again on her polytrack debut.

Form: 070124-

Forecasts

Gunfighter (6/5), First Encore (16/5), Bulldog Drummond (5/1), Loaded Gun (10/1), Petra Celera (10/1), Give It Up (12/1)

None of these can be ruled out but George Boughey's BULLDOG DRUMMOND arrives firmly on the up so is taken to make light of a 9 lb rise in the weights for his impressive Kempton success and complete a quick hat-tirck. Hugo Palmer's Gunfighter is weighted to have a big say on the back of his Wolverhampton nursery victory, while Loaded Gun and Petra Celera can't be discounted either in a competitive handicap.