13:50 Southwell

Friday 29 December 2017

All12:1512:4513:1513:5014:2515:0015:30

Betway Stayer's Handicap

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 3m 41.98s

(4)

Vercingetorix^p²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Rossa Ryan⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 75| BF| D

4/1

Not the easiest ride and quite often flatters to deceive but has run well enough of late over obstacles. Managed to win on the Flat in the summer for this yard and has been placed here over shorter but not one to rely on.

Form: 354116

(3)

Song Of Love^p⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: D C Costello| T: S A Harris| OR: 73

20/1

Fair handicapper and back in headgear; ran better than he has of late when making his Fibresand debut here last time over a much shorter (1m3f) trip. Runs off the same mark here but would need to take another step forward to take a hand and the trip throws up a further question mark.

Form: 946004

(7)

Katie Gale¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: A Mullen| T: M Appleby| OR: 66| CD

10/1

Three-time winner around here with form figures of 1123 over C&D but hasn't exactly sparkled of late in two runs back from a break. May have needed the run first time back but ran poorly off 4lb higher last time out and needs to bounce back here with stable rather quiet.

Form: 2-32550

(5)

Deep Resolve¹¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: B A Curtis| T: Sally Haynes| OR: 65| C| D

6/1

3/13 on this surface bit has never run over this trip around here and steps up some 4f from his win here in March off the same mark. May have needed the run on his return in August on turf but ran poorly on the same surface last time and returns from another break here.

Form: 4-13386

(2)

Wordiness²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: Fran Berry| T: P D Evans| OR: 65| D

11/1

Fair handicapper who won twice over the summer on turf over this trip and a little further so no doubts about him staying this far. Has only run respectably at best since that last win but now back below his last winning mark but tackles Fibresand for the first time.

Form: 549673

(1)

Ruler Of The Nile¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Callum Shepherd⁽³⁾| T: R Stephens| OR: 64| CD

5/1

Recorded form figures of 154 over this C&D although he was well below his best form here last time in November. Has run a couple of respectable races since then on different AW surfaces although he does looks a little one-paced at the moment and needs a positive ride.

Form: 286444

(8)

Serenity Now^p²²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: S Donohoe| T: B Ellison| OR: 64| C| D

7/1

Has won here twice but both those wins came some while ago in 2015 and to a certain extent he's only showed some of his better form in flashes since then. He has though slipped back to his last winning mark on Fibresand so shouldn't be totally written off.

Form: 288944

(6)

Kohinoor Diamond^b¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 64| BF

11/4

Even when she won on her first start after a long break at Chelmsford in October over 1m2f she looked an awkward ride and that has proved the case in three subsequent starts. Blinkers didn't really appear to help last time out although this longer trip might as she tries Fibresand for the first time.

Form: 97-1628

Forecasts

Kohinoor Diamond (11/4), Vercingetorix (4/1), Ruler Of The Nile (5/1), Deep Resolve (6/1), Serenity Now (7/1), Katie Gale (10/1), Wordiness (11/1), Song Of Love (20/1)

Quite a few awkward and difficult types in this and it’s hard to find something which could be called a solid option. Both Vercingetorix and Kohinoor Diamond clearly have their own ideas about racing flattering to deceive on a few occasions although both are capable of winning something if they put their minds to the job although it remains to be seen how the latter handles this unique surface. Serenity Now has slipped to a competitive mark but ran poorly last time out as did Deep Resolve while more is needed from Song Of Love. Wordiness is of interest if he handles the surface but in the end a tentative vote is given to RULER OF THE NILE in the hope that a positive ride and a return to this C&D will help him regain the winning thread.