14:25 Southwell

Sunday 13 May 2018

All14:2515:0015:3016:0516:3517:0517:35

mintbet.com Freebet 2nd To Favourite At Southwell Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 5m 14.7s

Minella For Me^t⁴⁸

4/1

Bit disappointing and not progressing as expected, may appreciate return to a left-handed track after jumping right at Huntingdon last time. This looks a bit easier and if the wind operation he's had works, may well get back on track.

Form: F/442F6-

State The Obvious¹⁶⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 103| D

13/2

Consistent last season, gained due reward for his efforts when a winner at Worcester last August. Needs quick ground, which he should get here, patchy yard form still a worry but if fit after a break, has chances all the same.

Form: 522123-

Viva Rafa^t³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: R T Phillips| OR: 102

5/1

Usually held up in his races and can travel strongly, ran beter reverting to fences at Hereford last time, finishing a close second. Faster ground to contend with here, but seemed to handle it well when third last year, and holds chances.

Form: 3P7/702-

Phoebus Lescribaa²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 101

9/4

Has the scope to jump fences and ran a bit better than the bare facts suggest at Stratford last time (good contest for the grade). Needs to tidy his jumping up a bit but if putting in a clear round, should improve and go very close.

Form: 0/734P3-

Overtoujay²⁶⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: A Pogson| T: C T Pogson| OR: 92

12/1

Fully exposed as moderate but did find a weak contest to win at Market Rasen last June. That was over hurdles anyway, and bottom line is he's likely to find one or two of these too classy for him.

Form: 421649-

Dalkadam^t¹⁰⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: T Scudamore| T: J R Jenkins| OR: 87

6/1

Fairly highly tried over fences a few times last year, will find this much easier and Daryl Jacob quite an eyecatching jockey booking, but he's just 1-20 all starts under Rules and may need this after a short break.

Form: 3/80345-

Presenting Berkley¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 85

25/1

Going nowhere fast at present, well beaten when made an even money favourite to win a poor hurdle at Fakenham and then pulled up on first chase start at Taunton. Yard always capable of landing the gamble, but it looks unlikely here.

Form: P43/23P-

Grow Nasa Grow⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 76

11/1

Has the scope for fences but is finding it hard work, and blunders are costing him dearly. Early days with him yet, and there is clearly some ability, but until he puts a clear round in, is best watched.

Form: 7PP345-

King Golan^p,t¹⁷⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 74

33/1

Already looking very moderate and not going anywhere quickly over fences recently. Likely to once again find the going tough, and can't be entertained as the likely winner.

Form: 4PUP33-

Forecasts

Phoebus Lescribaa (9/4), Minella For Me (4/1), Viva Rafa (5/1), Dalkadam (6/1), State The Obvious (13/2), Grow Nasa Grow (11/1), Overtoujay (12/1), Presenting Berkley (25/1), King Golan (33/1)

A tricky opening contest, but the return to likely better ground and a recent wind operation may see Minella For Me finally getting himself back on track. There's ability there, as he showed when narrowly defeated at Leicester in January and he may be able to unlock it today. Phoebus Lescribaa looks the danger if he can cut the little mistakes out that he made at Stratford, with Viva Rafa and State The Obvious fighting it out for third.