Pontefract Preview: Boxing Shadows a knockout bet

Boxing Shadows looks weighted to floor his rivals in the 6f handicap at Pontefract today (4.10).

The Les Eyre trained gelding got back to winning ways when scoring at Catterick in April, when holding on gamely to beat Windforpower by a nose off a mark of 60.

Although now running off 66, the four-year-old won off 6lb higher last season and looks ready to go in again having run a stormer to finish third of 10 to Mister Manannan over course and distance 10 days ago.
The son Camacho did the best of those from off the pace, running on strongly to go down by just a length without ever quite threatening to overhaul the front pair.

Boxing Shadows now meets the winner on whopping 20lb better terms, and that should be more than enough to see him reverse the placings.

In the 1m handicap (4.40), everything looks in place for Fazza to make a bold defence of his crown.

The Edwin Tuer trained gelding was in good heart last season when winning twice over course and distance, with the first of those successes coming in this contest off a mark of 68.

The seven-year-old went on to score off 72 when staying on strongly in the hands of today’s rider Kevin Stott to beat Ralphy Boy with more in hand than the winning margin of 1 3/4 lengths suggests, and now gets into this off just 3lb higher having shaped as if working his way back to form in his last five starts.

That makes the son of Sulamani look well-weighted on the pick of his form, and connections are sure to have had this race marked out as one of Fazza’s main targets for the season.

Two Smart takes a drop in class in the 6f handicap that closes the card (5.15) and looks decent each-way value in a wide open contest.

The filly showed a decent level of ability as a two-year-old, and ran well on seasonal reappearance when chasing home the useful Danehill Dancer in a maiden over course and distance.

Since then the daughter of Cape Cross has been highly tried and well beaten in competitive class 3 handicaps at York and Newmarket after being allotted an opening mark of 79.