Andrew Asquith provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Course specialist Down To The Kid of interest
Down To The Kid is a six-time winner at Southwell and looks set to go well again in the Always Gamble Responsibly At BetMGM Handicap (13:30).
He made a good start for this yard, completing a hat-trick of handicaps over a mile at this track in May last year, and he arguably went like the best horse at the weights on his return from seven months off 17 days ago.
Down To The Kid showed plenty of speed on that occasion, doing well to stick to his task the way he did given he was in the firing line long before the eventual winner. This will be his first start at seven furlongs since his debut, but he appears to be getting speedier as he’s getting older, and he’s entitled to strip fitter for his reappearance now.
Thriving Ziggy’s Triton can win again
The Midnite Are Upping The Betting Game Handicap (15:00) at Southwell looks a useful contest, but Ziggy’s Triton has been in fine form over this course and distance of late, and he looks the one to beat again.
He had been running well on the all-weather, but he found a big chunk of improvement when resuming winning ways at this course last month, always travelling well and easily putting the race to bed once taking the lead over a furlong out.
Ziggy’s Triton confirmed himself progressive all of a sudden when following up in a much better race from a 10lb higher mark returned to this course and distance last week, the fashion in which he dispatched of the reopposing Hiya Maite, who also goes well at this venue, very impressive.
He’s wisely turned out under a 5lb penalty and, in a race which looks no more competitive, he should make a bold bid to complete a hat-trick in his current vein of form.
Wrist Art can build on his stable debut
The Best Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Classified Stakes (17:05) at Southwell doesn’t look the most competitive race of its type and Wrist Art can build on the promise of his first start for James Owen.
He was a two-time winner on turf for Timothy Doyle in Ireland in 2023, but he lost his way for that yard, and took a step back in the right direction on British debut in a handicap over this course and distance in November.
That was a good race for the grade, seeing a trio of in-form three-year-olds fill the places, and the form is working out well too, with Wrist Art not beaten far by a couple of next-time-out winners.
He now moves into classified company which doesn’t have as much depth and, given he’s joined a yard who are a dab hand at rejuvenating new recruits, he makes a fair bit of appeal.
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