An Evening On The Beach

Good morning all,

Normally, an evening on the beach ends with cocktails, a beautiful red sunset and some dancing, but I can tell you none of those things will be on the agenda at Southwell tonight. It’ll be cold, with cups of tea and the only jigging around we’ll be doing is to keep warm. However, there’s a little Lucky 15 to try and pay for that next holiday to Corsica. Or possibly a weekend in Skeggy. Let’s see how we get on…

6.15 – 6f Handicap

Kafeetha would look to be the obvious one after his last-gasp win at Wolverhampton last time out, even more so as he’s totally effective on Fibresand too (two wins here to his name, both at this trip) but he’s never been the most consistent and this mark looks plenty tough enough. Instead, I’ll try Shallow Hal, who being a son of Mayson, may well improve for a go on the Fibresand and is looking well handicapped at present. A couple of recent runs after a wind operation should see him a bit fitter and with Ben Curtis on board, he’s worth a try.

6.45 – 5f Handicap

It still appears you need to be drawn low over 5f at present so I’ve concentrated on those stalls, and of them Navajo Dawn makes the most appeal. He didn’t run badly at all here two starts ago (fourth over 5f, winner looked useful and second and third had both won their previous starts) and as far from disgraced at Newcastle last time. In the hope they go a good gallop, expect to see him coming with a late charge from stall 2.

7.15 – 7f Handicap

There’s not that much competition for the lead here and it’s just possible this is Break The Silence’s chance to make every yard of it, as he’s tried to do on hs last two starts and, as he usually does at Southwell, run really well. He’s just about handicapped to turn his form around with Bee Machine here last month and he was probably a bit unlucky to bump into an unexposed one here on New Year’s Day, but was still clear of the third. You’ll need a lumphammer to kick him out of the frame and this really does look his chance.

Muqarred is a big price for one with plenty of track form but he appeared to have gone off the boil when last seen. Possible a short break has freshened him up and if there is a good pace up front, he’s got chances late on.

7.45 – 1m6f Handicap

Plenty of guesswork required here. Molliana has a string of 1s next to her name but they’re all wins achieved in the Channel Islands and will find this a different kettle of fish. Mick Appleby has his string in good heart and if the new headgear works on Chinese Alphabet then he’s not without hope, but I’ve thought for a while there’s probably a race in Finisher and it might be this one. Forget his defeat in heavy ground at Exeter last time (over three miles!), he has run here a couple of times and seems to act on the surface. His third at Lingfield two starts ago is an okay piece of form in the context of this race and maybe Luke Morris can persuade him to get going a bit sooner than has been the case. Interesting to see the tongue tie back on too…

Today's selection – Shallow Hal 6.15 Southwell

Click here to Tweet this

Good luck with all your bets today,

David.