John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Sunday.
Groovy Blue can build on promise of chase debut
Ben Pauling’s Groovy Blue is a well-made gelding who looks the type to take well to fences and he duly showed plenty of promise on his chasing debut which came at Sedgefield last month. He was easy to back on the day but took a step forward from his hurdling form, close up throughout and keeping on when steadied into the last before finishing three lengths third to impressive winner Fat Harry.
Despite the pace only lifting in the straight, the first three were able to pull clear of the rest and the first two home have franked the form since. Fat Harry followed up at Newcastle and would have completed the hat-trick at Haydock last time had he not clouted the last, while runner-up Fierce Warrior has gone on to win at Doncaster.
That all bodes well for Groovy Blue who ended last season by winning a maiden hurdle at Market Rasen. Southwell is one of Pauling’s top three tracks for winners over the last five seasons and Groovy Blue can add another to the total in the handicap chase at 13:00.
Hay Meadow to relish stamina test in Pertemps Qualifier
Carlisle have had to abandon the chases on their card which now consists of five hurdles and a bumper, with the ground being fresher on the hurdles course, but conditions are still likely to be pretty testing. One who won’t mind the ground, however bad it gets, is Hay Meadow who goes for the ‘Hot Trainer’ stable of Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore in the Pertemps Qualifier (13:40).
Hay Meadow’s win last season came on heavy ground at Ayr where she got the better of long odds-on favourite That’ll Do Moss in a mares’ novice, with the runner-up going on to finish second in Grade 1 company at Fairyhouse.
Hay Meadow has also won her latest start, a handicap at Hexham last month, when she landed a gamble in impressive fashion, quickening clear before the last to win by 13 lengths from Tineggiori under conditional jockey Conner McCann who takes 7 lb off the mare’s back again here. A former point winner in Ireland, Hay Meadow is yet to run beyond two and a half miles over hurdles, but she looks a strong stayer so should relish the longer trip here where she’s 3 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Tigers Moon still on a good mark
Back at Southwell, 'Horse In Focus' Tigers Moon can continue his progress for Tom Ellis at an ordinary level in the two-mile handicap hurdle (14:35) where his positive profile stands out in a race where the majority have something to prove.
Tigers Moon shaped encouragingly on his handicap debut when third at Market Rasen on his final start last season and has duly built on that effort in his two starts in similar company this term. He justified strong support when winning hard held on his return at Uttoxeter in October and progressed further when well backed again in a novice event at Fontwell last time but was left with a bit too much to do.
Waited with and travelling well, Tigers Moon made progress approaching the straight but could only keep on for second behind Low Expectations (a winner again since) who dictated a modest gallop and was seen to much better effect the way the race unfolded. Raised just 2 lb since, it’s therefore likely that Tigers Moon remains well handicapped, being 5 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, and with further improvement to come he should be hard to beat.
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