Simon Scrope Dalby Screw-Driver Handicap

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 2m 15.82s

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(4)

Francis Xavier²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: Rossa Ryan| T: K Frost| OR: 97| CD

5/2

Completed a four-timer when keeping on strongly to beat Busy Street by 1¾L in this race in 2018 (good); lightly raced this season until matching that level of form under a bold front-running ride at Ascot (1m4f; good/fm) three weeks ago; 4lb higher.

Form: 11-7051

(2)

Ayutthaya²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 88| D

10/11

Below-par at Pontefract previously (0-2); fended off the progressive 3yo Qarasu when resuming winning ways at Haydock (1m2f, soft); 4lb higher, but should go very close with rain in the forecast and a clear affinity for soft ground.

Form: 352741

(1)

Awake My Soul¹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Sullivan| T: T P Tate| OR: 86| D

6/1

Veteran; finished seventh of nine (beaten approx 9L) by today's rival Ayutthaya at Haydock (1m2f, soft) three weeks ago - now 7lb better off; no issues with track/trip or expected ground, albeit does need a mini-revival in order to play a hand.

Form: 3-95870

(3)

Jamil³³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Hanagan| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 83

20/1

Didn't do an awful lot of racing for Roger Varian but was always highly effective on soft/heavy ground (1,2,1), winning easily despite drifting left in a Hamilton novice (1m½f, soft) last September; low-mileage for Tina Jackson (35,000gns purchase).

Form: 1/2178-

(5)

Leroy Leroy^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: R Hannon| OR: 88

6/1

Head runner-up to the heavily supported Al Muffrih in the Zetland Gold Cup at Redcar (1m2f, good to firm) in May; modest since, including when carrying his head high at Doncaster (last of seven) latest; continues to ease in the weights.

Form: 250447

Forecasts

Ayutthaya (10/11), Francis Xavier (5/2), Awake My Soul (6/1), Leroy Leroy (6/1), Jamil (20/1)

Francis Xavier bids for back-to-back successes in this Class 3 handicap, arriving right at the top of his game following a brave front-running display at Ascot three weeks ago. A subsequent 4lb rise in the weights means that a career best performance is required in order to bring his record to an impressive 6 from 11. However, it is the threat of a sustained spell of rain which presents most worries, especially with the proven mud-lark AYUTTHAYA among his rivals. Admittedly the selection has disappointed at Pontefract previously (0-2), but the forecast conditions promise to be to his liking and he had the clear measure of the veteran Awake My Soul at Haydock.