15:25 Pontefract

Thursday 26 September 2019

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:0517:40

Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 1m 16.93s

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(4)

Normandy Barriere^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 81| CD

11/1

C&D winner (April 2015); is becoming attractively handicapped as a result of a barren spell of form; moderate since finishing second (promoted) to Swindler at his beloved Ascot (6f, good to firm) in July; soft ground concerns.

Form: 327760

(13)

Saluti¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: G Lee| T: P T Midgley| OR: 81| D

8/1

Ultra-consistent in recent months, deservedly scoring on Town Moor at Doncaster (6f, good to firm) a fortnight ago, earning a 3lb rise for beating Athollblair Boy by a neck; one of three representatives for Paul Midgley; wide draw (stall 13).

Form: 065231

(1)

Mr Orange^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Harrison Shaw⁽³⁾| T: P T Midgley| OR: 79| CD

7/1

Knows his way around Pontefract better than Norman Gundill, adding another two C&D wins this summer; 4lb higher than when beating today's rivals Baby Steps and Magical Effect here on his penultimate start; ought to run his usual solid race.

Form: 670110

(12)

Galloway Hills^p¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: S P Davis⁽³⁾| T: Phillip Makin| OR: 79| D

40/1

Not at his best since winning a 22-runner Class 4 handicap at York (6f, good to soft) in June; back near that winning mark and the recent rain should assist, yet a poor run (last of 12) at Chester is very difficult to ignore; overlooked.

Form: 315690

(6)

Young John¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Rossa Ryan| T: M Murphy| OR: 79| D

4/1

Exploited an easing mark (raced solo far side) to score by 4½L at Chepstow (6f, good to soft) two weeks ago; is likely to find life tougher from a 6lb higher mark, yet merits a degree of respect nevertheless.

Form: 644541

(9)

Mark's Choice¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 80| D

12/1

High in the weights as a result of a productive spring - won three-times between 5f and 6f (Ripon x 2 and Ayr); consistent in defeat since, including when a solid third in the Great St Wilfrid Consolation (6f, soft); stablemate of Magical Effect.

Form: 433395

(3)

Magical Effect^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: Jamie Gormley| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 77| CD

10/1

Won for the first time in almost two years when beating Tricky Dicky by a neck over C&D in July (good to firm); 3lb higher; has remained competitive since (a close fourth at Redcar last week); stablemate of Mark's Choice.

Form: 133304

(14)

Gin In The Inn²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 76| CD

8/1

Most effective at this track as a triple C&D winner, including when gamely springing a 25-1 surprise in this contest last year (Mr Orange fourth); placed at Catterick latest; has the bonus of having Hanagan back aboard for the first time since June.

Form: 030663

(8)

Highly Sprung⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: J L Eyre| OR: 75| CD

7/1

His 2019 Pontefract form figures read 31216 - kept on strongly when beating Musharrif (Magical Effect third) over C&D in July; a major player if able to reproduce last week's Ayr Bronze Cup performance (second at 40-1).

Form: 021662

(7)

Start Time¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: K Stott| T: P T Midgley| OR: 74| BF

12/1

Likes Thirsk (three wins); 3lb higher than when making all to beat Presidential by ¾L at Ayr (7f, soft) in July; few obvious excuses for poor run just ten days ago (last of 15; 4-1f) and that's a shade off-putting; stablemate of Saluti & Mr Orange.

Form: 091740

(11)

Stoney Lane^p²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Phil Dennis| T: R M Whitaker| OR: 73

11/1

Lightly-raced Wetherby novice winner (7f, good to soft); runner-up to Music Society on penultimate start at Carlisle (5f, good to soft); more moderate latest; on a feasible mark, albeit possibly isn't ideally berthed in stall 11.

Form: 474020

(10)

Captain Dion^b⁹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: Gabriele Malune⁽³⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 70| BF| CD

14/1

Speedster; blitzed his rivals when a 5L C&D winner (soft) in June, following up at Chelmsford nine days later; absent since finishing close third to Tricky Dicky & Highly Sprung over C&D (good) 95 days ago; won this for Kevin Ryan in 2016 and 2017.

Form: 366113

Non-Runners

(2)

Reflektor⁵³

Weight: 9-13| Age: 6

T: Tom Dascombe J: R Kingscote

(5)

Baby Steps¹²

Weight: 9-3| Age: 3

T: D Loughnane J: David Egan

Forecasts

Young John (4/1), Highly Sprung (7/1), Mr Orange (7/1), Baby Steps (15/2), Saluti (8/1), Gin In The Inn (8/1), Magical Effect (10/1), Normandy Barriere (11/1), Stoney Lane (11/1), Mark's Choice (12/1), Start Time (12/1), Captain Dion (14/1), Reflektor (14/1), Galloway Hills (40/1)

With the Pontefract season finale fast-approaching, there'll be limited opportunities for these course specialists to earn more corn for the winter. Captain Dion boasts an excellent record in this race (2016 & 2017 winner) and he appears to have had this as his primary objective since a pleasing run of form mid-summer. Shock 2018 winner Gin In The Inn has Paul Hanagan back aboard for the first time in a while, while Mr Pontefract himself Mr Orange is always massively respected. However, we'll elect to stick with the Les Eyre-trained HIGHLY SPRUNG. He has held his form admirably here this year (31216), and was a fine second in the Ayr Bronze Cup last week.