The Racing League sprints into its penultimate week at Southwell this Thursday. With four selections across the card, Matty Sutcliffe gives you his best value punts for the evening action.
4:45 Southwell – Racing League Race 36 Handicap (Horses In Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (GBBPlus) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-80) – Say What You See 9/1 1pt EW 4 places
Improving Belardo gelding SAY WHAT YOU SEE is 4lbs well in at the weights after being beaten a head in a Racing League contest last week and looks set for another strong bid.
He’s relatively unexposed on the all-weather after just three attempts, with the first one coming last November in an eight length romp off top-weight in a 0-60 Nursery at Newcastle on handicap debut. The next came at Chelmsford on seasonal debut this term when easily excusable after losing his action, and he bumped into the unexposed Bragbor last time, pulling three lengths clear from the progressive third.
The step back up to this trip can suit, as his sole effort came on penultimate run when beaten 3/4L at Ripon by an unexposed William Haggas filly trying to trip for the first time. Stall twelve poses the biggest issue, but he generally tends to be held so he’ll be dropped in regardless, and off what is effectively a mark 7lbs lower (factoring in Pyle’s claim) than his excellent second last time out, he has to be considered to show up well once more.
6:15 Southwell – Racing League Race 37 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-85) – Bajan Bandit 8/1 1pt EW 4 places
BAJAN BANDIT has steadily worked his way back to form for his new yard despite dropping in the weights and his latest two efforts suggest a return to the winners enclosure is imminent.
The Oasis Dream gelding shaped as if a return to seven furlongs would suit last time out when weakening late on at Haydock having been short of room on the rail, still only beaten two lengths in a race where four of the next five home were suited by racing in rear.
He’s dropped to a more than workable mark of 72 given his latest success came over C&D in February off a mark of 80, and this is the first time he returns to this course and distance. His form on the all-weather in general this season reads 1416430, with the sole poor effort coming on 1m2f when not staying the trip and he proved he was still capable of strong form when beaten two lengths in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton in a class two around horses rated between 87-103.
A return to that earlier form would see him bang there in a pot he’s likely been targeted for.
6:45 Southwell – Racing League Race 38 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-80) – Ormolulu 8/1 1pt EW 4 places
As one of two C&D winners in this field, ORMOLULU is taken to back up that success here in February when comfortably defeating Rohaan by a length off a 2lbs lower mark. She was able to back that effort up next time out in a 0-85 fillies contest when bumping in to the well backed Powdering, but she’s not had much luck since given in five of her seven subsequent runs since she’s managed to find trouble in running.
Ormolulu put in a career best effort on turf when beaten a length in a class two fillies handicap at York in June, and she backed that up when suffering for room continuously back at York over seven furlongs beaten three lengths. It was a carbon copy of that effort in two subsequent runs since including at the Ebor Festival last time out, but the way she travels throughout her races suggests that her mark of 82 is still more than workable, and the return to a course and distance where her record reads 21331112712 at can see her overcome any obstacles in running and return to the winners enclosure.
7:45 Southwell – Racing League Race 40 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-90) – Cephalus 9/1 1pt EW 4 places
CEPHALUS took his record to 0-10 on turf when beaten seven lengths in claiming company last time out but we can ignore pretty much any time he runs on the grass, and he’s much better judged on his all-weather exploits where his record is 10-27.
His form over a mile on the all-weather reads 631118612211117163 (9-18), his form in blinkers on the all-weather reads over a mile reads 136111 and form at Southwell over a mile reads 1211.
Cephalus has everything going for him tomorrow bar perhaps an outside draw, but he’ll be dropped in regardless and he’s won off this mark of 81 in the past.
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