Racecards
17:50 Pontefract
Betfair.com Apprentice Series (Round One) Handicap
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 1m 4f 8y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf

- Form 506702/
- Age 8
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer Andrew Turnell
- Jockey R Keogh
slowly into stride, pulled hard and led after 1f, clear after 4f, headed over 3f out, soon weakened

- Form 047707-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 75
- Trainer D Nicholls
- Jockey P J Benson
in rear, ridden and headway over 2f out, soon weakened

- Form 077435
- Age 8
- Weight 9-4
- Official Rating 75
held up, headway to chase leaders over 2f out, soon ridden, kept on final furlong, led towards finish

- Form 58-3111
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Official Rating 73
- Trainer D E Cantillon
- Jockey J Jones
held up, headway over 4f out, ridden and one pace final 2f

- Form 85530/0-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 72
- Trainer R M Whitaker
- Jockey Dawn Watson
pulled hard, tracked leaders until lost place over 4f out

- Form 2207-35
- Age 4
- Weight 8-11
- Official Rating 68
- Trainer P C Haslam
- Jockey G Bartley
held up, headway on outer over 3f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, headed when no extra towards finish

Futoo (IRE)
170- Form 134288-
- Age 4
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer G M Moore
- Jockey T J O'Brien
led and raced keen, headed after 1f out, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened

- Form 15-2132
- Age 10
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 65
- Trainer H Morrison
- Jockey T Block
held up in touch, went 2nd over 4f out, ridden to lead over 3f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened

- Form 500079-
- Age 9
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 61
- Trainer J & S Quinn
- Jockey N Lawes
tracked leaders, went 2nd 8f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out

- Form 99/06-03
- Age 6
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 61
held up in touch, driven along over 5f out, lost place 4f out
In depth
Verdict
Garnett has been in unstoppable form on the all-weather, and can keep the run up here ahead of Tight Squeeze, Archie Babe and Kylkenny. Although the selection's last two wins have been over two miles, he also has winning form over shorter, and with the competent Jonathan Jones in the saddle, he is taken to gain his first Flat Turf win before going back over hurdles. Tight Squeeze will appreciate the step back up in trip on his return to the Turf, but the recent rain will not have helped his cause, unlike Archie Babe who lines up on the back of a win over hurdles at Towcester. That was his first outing in two months, and he is expected to go well. Kylkenny has been very consistent on the fibresand at Southwell and won here in similar conditions two years ago, so is another to consider, but Garnett can take this en-route to his main target, an amateur riders' handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on May 10.
Formwatch
Noble Pasao (IRE) 16-1 Slowly into stride, behind, ridden 3f out, headway over 1f out, kept on, 2nd of 12, 1/2l behind Shayadi at Ayr 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (E) gd in Jul '03.
Fourth Dimension (IRE) 16-1 Close up, ridden over 4f out, weakened over 3f out, 7th of 8, 38l behind Dance World at Southwell 1m 4f hcp (E3) fbs in Dec.
Tight Squeeze 11-4 Prominent early, lost place 6f out, stayed on well from over 1f out, not reach leaders, 5th of 8, 3l behind Boot 'n Toot at Lingfield 1m 2f fll hcp (D2) pol.
Garnett (IRE) 9-4fav Steadied start, held up in rear, headway 2f out, led inside final furlong, ridden out, won at Lingfield 2m app hcp (E3) pol beating Moon Emperor by a nk, 13 ran.
Neckar Valley (IRE) 50-1 Always towards rear, 12th of 20, 24l behind Straw Bear at Ayr 1m 2f hcp (D2) sft in Sept.
Alpine Special (IRE) 8-1 Tracked leaders, ridden to lead over 2f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened, 5th of 10, 6l behind Peak Park at Southwell 1m 6f hcp (E3) fbs in Feb.
Futoo (IRE) 20-1 Chased leader to over 3f out, ridden 2f out, weakened entering final furlong, 8th of 17, 12l behind Mambina at Newcastle 1m 2f hcp (E3) gd in Oct.
Kylkenny 5-1 Tracked leader, led over 4f out, ridden and headed 2f out, unable to quicken inside final furlong, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Dower House at Southwell 1m 4f hcp (D2) fbs.
Archie Babe (IRE) 13-2 Tracked leader, weakened over 3f out, eased final furlong, 9th of 10, 50l behind Onward To Glory at Catterick 1m 6f hcp (E3) sft in Nov.
Sunridge Fairy (IRE) 80-1 Towards rear, ridden and headway over 3f out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 11, 12l behind dhtrs True To Yourself & All Bleevable at Southwell 1m 6f stk (H5) fbs in Feb.