The Racing League concludes with its final meeting at Southwell on Thursday night. After a couple of winners at last week’s meeting, Matty Sutcliffe looks to end the event on a high note with three best bets.
Published: 11.42am Wednesday, 28th August (Odds correct at time of writing)
5:45 Southwell – It’s The Final Countdown Racing League R36 Handicap (Trainers Reg’ To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-80) – Desert Emperor 18/1 0.5pt EW (4 places Hills)
A fairly modest contest to open up the finale of this season’s Racing League event, and DESERT EMPEROR has been running well enough in defeat recently to suggest he can take a race of this nature of his lowering handicap mark.
The seven-year -old Camelot gelding is just three from twenty six in his career, but has only finished out of the placings on twelve of those occasions which is a respectable strike rate from an each-way perspective, and is now 7lbs below his last winning mark.
He fared well when breaking awkwardly in a stronger Racing League contest at Wolverhampton last time out when beaten six lengths over an inadequate 1m1f in 0-90 company, and the form has worked out well in places. The seventh was just touched off in a competitive C4 handicap at Goodwood last weekend, the sixth was beaten a length in a Racing League contest at Chepstow next time out before faring well in a 62k C2 at York last time out, the fifth put up a similar effort in a C2 Chepstow next time out, and the second has been beaten just a length in a C2 Racing League contest at Windsor since.
He’s well berthed in stall two to be prominent once more and if he can replicate that form now going back up in trip, he’s likely to outrun his odds back in easier company.
6:14 Southwell – It’s A 3 Horse Race Racing League R37 Handicap (Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-85) – Brunel Nation 8/1 1pt WIN
A large weight of the money in the market for team Ireland’s horses will likely shift toward the mounts of Billy Loughnane who is on course for top jockey, but Finley Marsh and Richard Hughes were kind to us last week with two winners, and I’m retaining the faith this time around on BRUNEL NATION.
A rapidly softening surface might not have suited at Chepstow when second to the well-backed Von Baer in the Racing League last time out, and he’s clearly been saved for this contest since with his mark remaining the same despite a 5lbs higher RPR. The gelded son of Sioux Nation landed somewhat of a touch at Chelmsford after catching the eye open handicap/AW debut at Kempton, drawing away three lengths to the good from the now 7lbs higher rated Old Chums, with the third racking up a subsequent hat-trick of wins.
Brunel Nation opened up his turf account in the stewards room next time out at Newmarket, before an excellent fourth in class two company at Goodwood when beaten two lengths into fourth behind subsequent Brittania 6th Qiraat. That form has worked out strongly elsewhere, particularly given Brunel Nation was only a length behind Al Shabab Storm, who is now rated 19lbs higher having won a Listed contest two starts later before taking a German Group 3 last time out.
We can forgive his effort on soft ground at Chester, and we can definitely upgrade his five lengths third at Newmarket next time out when finishing second in his group of eight, a length behind Run Boy Run who’s won twice since, now rated 7lbs higher. The fourth from that contest has also won twice since and is rated 8lbs higher, and a reproduction of that effort would see Brunel Nation very competitive off a mark of 81 with the return to the all-weather unlikely to faze him.
6:43 Southwell – Live On The Racing App Racing League R38 Handicap (Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-80) – Grenham Bay 8/1 1pt WIN
Jungle Land is another likely to prove popular with punters but he hasn’t been seen since May and looks worth taking on. GRENHAM BAY gets the nod, who fared well from midfield when third in the Grey Horse Handicap at Newmarket last time out behind the two prominent racers, with the second likely to have been primed to within an inch of his peak given he won the race in 2022, and the winner Is now 7lbs higher having won cosily next time out posting a career best RPR.
There’s plenty of pace on across the field here and that will suit Grenham Bay who likes a target to aim at and is comfortable at sitting just off the leaders in a strong gallop, and he’s only 2lbs above his last winning mark. His course record reads 223, with the second effort coming behind Billyjoh in February who’s now rated 17lbs higher, so that bodes well as does the reacquaintance with Oisin Murphy whose record on the gelding reads 1152.
If Grenham Bay can reproduce that Newmarket form, then he’s taken to capitalise on this slight drop in grade for all he’ll have to be delivered expertly by Oisin Murphy, as his three wins have come be 1/2L, a neck and a head.
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.