Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Handicap

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 1m 28.86s

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Selected odds by:

(4)

Asdaa¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 81

13/8

Fairyhouse 6f maiden winner for Dermot Weld in 2018. Joined current yard in November 2019 and has run with credit on both starts since, including at this track. Doesn't need much improvement to prove very competitive despite top weight.

Form: 71/8343-

(2)

Harbour Storm⁵⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: K T O'Neill| T: R Brisland| OR: 78

20/1

Won Wolverhampton 6f novice stakes in May 2018 then fifth of 6 on handicap bow soon after. Not seen since so has a bit to prove after long absence stepping up to 7f for first time.

Form: 5815/

(3)

Howzer Black²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 77| D

11/2

Last win came in 7f Carlisle handicap in May off this mark. Has run creditably on occasions without success since then and now tackles Fibresand for the first time. Yard has 14% strike rate with older horses here in handicaps.

Form: 042586-

(1)

Angel Palanas^p¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Harrison Shaw⁽³⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 75| CD

5/1

All four career wins have come here and is a regular at this venue. Still 2lb higher than last win back in December 2018 and handicapper is proving reluctant to let him ease back too far.

Form: 267646-

(5)

Smokey Lane^v¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Laura Pearson⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 74

13/2

All five wins have come on turf and is 0-10 on AW surfaces. Yet to win beyond 6f so although stayed on well when third here at that trip on penultimate start, stamina has to be a potential issue.

Form: 110534-

(6)

Suitcase 'n' Taxi³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 73| CD

7/2

Returns from 39-day break having rattled up C&D hat-trick in the autumn, improving 15lb in the process. Now runs off last winning turf mark so there may be more to come as he seems to revel on the Fibresand surface.

Form: 022111-

Forecasts

Asdaa (13/8), Suitcase 'n' Taxi (7/2), Angel Palanas (5/1), Howzer Black (11/2), Smokey Lane (13/2), Harbour Storm (20/1)

This may prove to be a battle between the horses at the top and bottom of the handicap with narrow preference for the bang in-form SUITCASE 'N' TAXI who completed a C&D hat-trick last time when winning here in November and can go in again off just a 3lb higher mark. Asdaa is a fair sort and has run well on both starts since joining the Johnston team. He should give the selection plenty to think about. The other four all have different questions to answer, but Angel Palanas and Howzer Black cannot be ruled out of the equation.