Well Handicapped Sheepscar Lad Worth Siding With in the Sprint

Sheepscar Lad is a likeable sprinter, and one who certainly wins his fair share of races when things are in his favour. He only won once last season, but was put up in the weights for that win and for other good runs, leaving him struggling a little off marks in the high 80s. This season he has worked his way back down the handicap and appears ready to strike.

He has won twice over this course and distance in the past, and this return to Pontefract appears to be his best chance of winning so far this season. Regular jockey Lewis Edmunds takes over here today after the horse has been ridden by an apprentice on his three starts this season which is certainly a plus as he knows the horse very well.

The one thing that is against Sheepscar Lad today is the draw, which is not ideal. He is draw out in stall 9 for this race, and I would much have preferred him to be drawn closer to the inside rail. However, we do see plenty of horses run well and win from outside draws, and it is certainly something that this horse can do.

The hot favourite here is Musharrif, who escapes a penalty for winning at Ripon last weekend. However, he really had the run of the race there, and was able to bag the rail and control things, something he won’t be able to do here. I also think this is a slightly better race than that one, which makes him a short priced favourite worth taking on for me.

I’ll side with Sheepscar Lad against him, he has shown decent form at this course before and is back down to a reasonable handicap mark, which I am hoping he can strike off.