Southwell 18:45 – Sandridge Lad
John Ryan has his team in absolutely tip-top condition at present and this lad is another one from the outfit looking for the three timer. He has gone up 10lb in the handicap so far with a combined winning distance of seven-and-a-half lengths in two races but it really doesn’t look enough to stop him.
He’s uncomplicated from a tactics point of view as he will just track the pace and pick up in the straight.
Southwell 19:15 – Arabian King
This lad gave rookie trainer James Ferguson his first ever victory and he has doubled up in emphatic fashion. He is the same as our opening selection under the floodlights in that he’s going to be rated much higher in the future. He also has an uncomplicated racing style and a great big raking stride.
He’s taken to the all-weather surface like the proverbial duck to water.
Dundalk 19:30 – Tonkinese
Joseph O’Brien’s runner performed at a fairly decent level around Dundalk for Mick Halford previously and looks dangerously well handicapped at 23lb below his top rating.
The young maestro is sure to find the key to his potential fairly shortly and it was no surprise that they ran him over hurdles just to get his mind back on the job. He is drawn down on the paint in stall 1 and should give the young, 7lb claiming apprentice, Dylan Browne McMonagle a great spin.
Southwell 19.45 – Tranchee
Ivan Furtado’s runner managed to dead heat over this course and distance on his first try for the new outfit in January and we can safely say that he didn’t seem to act nearly as well at Lingfield when fifth last time.
Southwell is obviously going to suit better and the handicapper has left him unchanged on a mark of 74. That may well underestimate him as on that first try here as the front two were 13 lengths clear of the third.
Dundalk 20:00 – Roachdale House
Paul Flynn’s runner makes a quick reappearance after disappointing over 1m 4f last time where he clearly failed to stay. He’s on a reasonable mark and I’m hoping he has the required speed dropping back down half a mile in trip. He’s a four-time winner on the turf when trained in the UK a few years ago, but remains a maiden on the all-weather.
Friday night could be the time to break his duck at Fundalk.
Southwell 20:15 – Luscifer
Tony Carroll’s runner looked for all the world as if he was home and hosed last time and then he just started to paddle in the final 75 yards and was pipped at the post. There are two positives to take from that win. Firstly, he drops down a furlong, so he can still be ridden fairly aggressively on Friday night.
Secondly, The Eagle’s Nest that beat him last time, came out a week later and won again at Southwell to back up the form.
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