Ben Linfoot Tip of the Day: Star to shine at Southwell

1pt win Star Ascending in 3.50 Southwell at 4/1

STAR ASCENDING returned from a short break with his best performance in a while at Wolverhampton last month and back at Southwell he can halt a 13-race losing sequence this afternoon.

That Wolverhampton effort, where he was a close third, can be marked up as he ran wide on the turns and that it came off a career-low mark of 55 suggests he’s now handicapped to go in again.

Drawn in stall one, Joe Fanning will be hoping to bag the lead and though there is likely to be a bit of competition for that position it’s not enough of a concern to swerve him here.

I’d expect a positive ride with the visor reapplied as Fanning will be keen to utilise this horse’s proven stamina. 

Two starts ago he struggled a bit over this trip at Southwell, but he looks in better form now after that encouraging Wolverhampton run and he’s run well enough times over further at this track to have proven he goes on the surface.

Last year he was a head second off a mark of 62 at this track, admittedly over 1m3f, after which he was raised to a rating of 66. Off 11lb lower this afternoon, he’s taken to get back on the winning trail.

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Posted 0910 BST on 04/04/2017