Alfa Whiteburd (20:17 Pontefract — Class 5 Handicap, 6f)
A five-year-old bay gelding trained by Ivan Furtado and partnered tonight by the classy Silvestre De Sousa. Alfa Whiteburd is a horse who thrives when conditions are right and right now everything is pointing in the right direction. He bolted up at Chester on 10 July, winning by 8 lengths as the 9/4 favourite — a dominant performance that screamed a horse back to his very best. He carries just a 5lb penalty for that success today, leaving him running off a mark that still looks lenient given the manner of that victory.
Good to firm ground suits, 6f is his optimum trip, and in a small field of just six there are no hiding places for the others. De Sousa is one of the best in the business and will know exactly what he’s sitting on.
Verdict: Back to win — thrown in at the weights, top jockey, and bolting up form that demands respect.
