15:22 Pontefract

Thursday 18 September 2025

All13:5214:2214:5215:2215:5216:2316:5517:32

Always Trying Racing Syndicate Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 15:22 | Winning time: 2m 17.44s

(9)

Contrast^b¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 9-12| J: Joanna Mason| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 60| D

11/1

Ripon winner last season but this veteran has yet to fire in 2025. Down in grade here but best watched in refitted blinkers unless the betting suggests otherwise.

Form: 652-960

(10)

Bretton Wood²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: C Lee| T: J Channon| OR: 59

6/1

Maiden who shaped better than the result when fourth on 1m stable debut at Ffos Las but down the field on AW 13 days ago. Up in trip. Still early days for this yard and could bounce back.

Form: 9-35848

(8)

Kings College¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Elizabeth Gale⁽⁵⁾| T: R & J & J Insole| OR: 59

12/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Last of 5 in novice (33/1) at Wolverhampton (8.6f) 16 days ago. Makes handicap debut. Worth a look in the betting.

Form: 6-75

(2)

Salaria¹¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Cieren Fallon| T: Charlie Clover| OR: 59

5/2

Placed 4 times in handicaps at up to 1½m for Ollie Pears, including going close over this trip at Redcar off 1 lb higher in April. Starts out for a new yard after 4 months off. Interesting runner.

Form: 5-25233

(7)

Mrbluesky^p²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: O J Orr| T: R A Fahey| OR: 58

9/1

Winner over 7f on AW in February but hasn't reproduced that form since. 14/1, fifth of 8 in handicap at Ripon (1m, good to firm) 23 days ago. Up in trip.

Form: 177355

(3)

Shabu Shabu^b1²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Jonny Peate| T: J Ferguson| OR: 56

5/1

Winner at Yarmouth (11.5f) in August but 2 lesser runs have followed. Needs a change of headgear (first-time blinkers for cheekpieces) to help spark a revival.

Form: 242170

(5)

Raysham^t1⁹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Zak Wheatley⁽³⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 55

9/1

Lightly-raced maiden. 40/1, seventh of 9 in handicap at Southwell (1¼m) in June. Tongue tied first time back from 3 months off.

Form: 069-77

(6)

Free Pic⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Barry McHugh| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 48

4/1

Better efforts last twice, second in 1m Thirsk classified event third of 10 in handicap at Leicester (1¼m, good). Enters calculations.

Form: 607023

Non-Runners

(1)

Mc'ted¹⁷

Weight: 9-3| Age: 7

T: Michael Keady J: Alice Bond

(4)

Heartened²⁴

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: Ollie Pears J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Salaria (5/2), Free Pic (4/1), Shabu Shabu (5/1), Bretton Wood (6/1), Mc'ted (13/2), Heartened (8/1), Raysham (9/1), Mrbluesky (9/1), Contrast (11/1), Kings College (12/1)

FREE PIC has been knocking on the door since stepping up in trip and might prove the answer to the first division of this Class 6 handicap. If Salaria can get back to the form she showed over this trip in the spring she could pose a threat for new trainer Charlie Clover, while Bretton Wood ran poorly on AW last time but did make a positive start for Jack Channon when fourth on turf prior to that.