Betway Handicap

Off time: 16:52 | Winning time: 58.78s

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(4)

Alsvinder^p¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Nick Barratt-Atkin⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 89| CD

10/1

Made all when winning a 5f C&D claimer last March; 5lb lower than when finishing last of six to Venturous over C&D (penultimate); back on the right track when a close third for Nick Barratt-Atkin at Chelmsford (5f) subsequently; probable pace angle.

Form: 2028-63

(6)

Charming Kid³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Joey Haynes| T: D K Ivory| OR: 83| D

17/2

His sole success on the AW came for Richard Fahey at Dundalk (6f) in January 2019; has failed to beat a single rival in any of his last four starts (0-2 for Dean Ivory); reasonably pacy, so the drop back to 5f is worth trying.

Form: 16600-7

(7)

Canford Bay^h¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Harry Russell⁽⁷⁾| T: A Brittain| OR: 82| CD

11/4

Has held his form well on the AW this winter; 3lb higher (albeit is claimer ridden today) than when pushed out to beat a closing Foxy Forever by 1L at Wolverhampton (5f) on his penultimate start; highly tried (Cl 2) latest.

Form: 624-315

(3)

Fendale²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: D C Costello| T: B Smart| OR: 82| CD

7/1

Most effective at this track (212727) and was keeping on behind a progressive winner (Brushwork) on his penultimate start; folded tamely here four weeks ago (form which is put to the test earlier by Hart Stopper and Athollblair Boy).

Form: 85472-7

(1)

Foxy Forever^b,t²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 8-11| J: Jason Hart| T: M Wigham| OR: 79| D

6/1

Veteran (4-32 AW); pleasing October C&D second to Secretinthepark (off a very similar mark); flashed home late when runner-up to the reopposing Canford Bay at Wolverhampton (5f) in mid-January; the faster Alsvinder et al go the better his chances.

Form: 682-526

(2)

War Whisper¹²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: J Fanning| T: P T Midgley| OR: 77| D

10/1

Hasn't run on the AW since April 2018 (0-3) and is returning to the track for the first time since finishing in the midfield rank at Pontefract (5f, soft) in late October 2019; others thought to be more capable of winning.

Form: 222007-

(5)

Tathmeen⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 73| CD

9/4

Dwelt, but kept on well inside the final furlong when short-heading Jonboy over C&D earlier this month; placed off his revised mark here on Saturday evening (behind the impressive winner Aloysius Lilius); figures very highly on the shortlist.

Form: 3-26713

Forecasts

Tathmeen (9/4), Canford Bay (11/4), Foxy Forever (6/1), Fendale (7/1), Charming Kid (17/2), War Whisper (10/1), Alsvinder (10/1)

Dean Ivory doesn't send too many runners to Newcastle (0-5) and the pacy Charming Kid is possibly merely a travelling companion for Librisa Breeze (3.10pm) but equally he's likely to assist Alsvinder in setting some searching early fractions which can potentially play into the hands of a fast-finisher. Canford Bay held off the late challenge of Foxy Forever at Wolverhampton recently but isn't guaranteed to do so on this occasion. However, from a sightly more favourable inside draw (stall five) the lowly weighted and bang-in-form TATHMEEN may come lashing home the strongest of all.