7.35pm Pontefract Tips & Betting Preview 21/07/2017

A competitive looking 0-95 handicap over the minimum trip. Read on for our runner by runner preview and expert tip.

IN SUMMARY: Move In Time came back to form at York last week and is sure to be popular from a lenient mark, though he has the widest draw to contend with. Oriental Relation tends to be seen at a lower level than this, but he is a dual course winner this season with a perfect draw to exploit from this point and shoot type. Rasheeq looks like he will be suited by this stiffer track, but the vote goes to GAMESOME. He is not the easiest to win with, but the handicapper has given him a huge chance, giving him a mark below 90 for the first time in his career, he is a very backable price.

1 MOVE IN TIME – Unlucky not to land us a huge Preview BOOM at York last week, when badly hampered. Was only beaten a length and three quarters there, so from the same mark, he is sure to be popular. He is thrown in on his very best, but the draw on the wide outside over the minimum trip is not going to make it easy for him.

2 RASHEEQ – Only has a maiden win to his credit on the Southwell Fibresand in 2015. He has twice been runner up in York handicaps this season, including off this mark. He has been a little disappointing the last twice but his run style suggests that a first go on this much stiffer track could see him in a better light.

3 GAMESOME – Yet to supplement his August 2013 maiden win, but he has gone close on a number of occasions since. He began 2017 with a close third at Beverley when just run out of it close home, from a four pound higher mark. He was behind Rasheeq earlier this season but is three pounds better off now. A drop below 90 for the first time in his career gives him a huge chance for a canny yard.

4 LUCKY BEGGAR – Heavily campaigned this year, he has been running consistently well. His latest run at York can be excused as he was badly hampered, but he was behind Move In Time on that occasion and may struggle to reverse that from a wide draw.

5 MY NAME IS RIO – Took full advantage of his favoured soft ground at Ayr earlier this season, connections will be hoping that there is plenty of rain here with good to firm the current ground. He is only 1/24 when his mark is north of 85 and that is a huge negative for him, looks booked for a struggle.

6 CONFESSIONAL – Had to drop to a mark of 82 before he got his head back in front last season, a disappointing run seeing his mark slip to 83 now. That certainly suggests that he can be competitive if there is sufficient cut in the ground, but he has not looked like cashing in on his crashing mark yet this season. May need a few more pounds to come off yet.

7 AVON BREEZE – Twice a course winner, she races off her highest winning mark now. She would ideally prefer a little more cut in the ground than she is likely to get here but she ran another sound race at Chester at the weekend. This will be her fourth run in nineteen days as connections try and make hay before she goes to the paddocks, that may just be a little too much too quick.

8 MEGAN LILY – Another who would like more cut in the ground, she is only two pounds higher than her most recent win. She has kept smart company in her career so far, but despite being a three year old, she doesn’t hold any secrets from the handicapper. Difficult to support unless there is a deluge.

9 SIGNORE PICCOLO – Did the job well at Haydock in mid June but is yet to win from a mark this high. That win was in a Class 4 event, the highest grade in which he has won. Unlikely to be capable of living with a few of these at this level with no improvement coming at the age of six, it is surprising that he heads the market.

10 POET’S SOCIETY – Just the one win on the turf, at Newmarket two runs back on good to soft ground. He has placed on good to firm so he should not be dismissed just on the ground but he has struggled at this level in all age competition already this season from lower marks, tough to think it will be any different now.

11 POWERALLIED – Showed more sparkle last time out when runner up in a Class 4 event. He has won at his level and from just a pound lower than his current mark so he can be given a chance. Eight of his top nine career RPR’s have all come at Chester, so the question has to be over his ability to perform anywhere close to the same level elsewhere.

12 SANDRA’S SECRET – Yet to win above Class 5 level, but she has scored over this course and distance which is a plus. She has shown very little this season but she has come back down to her last turf winning mark, so although this is a little deeper than the races she normally contests, she has a little squeak.

13 ORIENTAL RELATION – Two wins over this course and distance already this season, blessed here with the lowest draw, perfect for his attacking, front running style. He is off the same mark as the second of those and although they both came at Class 5 level, he is a solid each way player here.