19:10 Southwell

Tuesday 12 June 2018

All18:1018:4019:1019:4020:1020:4021:10

Follow myracingtips On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:10 | Winning time: 5m 8.10s

Barkis³⁴²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Ned Curtis⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 110

16/1

Drops back in trip after trying 3m at Perth (good) and much better judged on his June 2017 C&D second to Petrou (this race). Fitness/well-being the major concern on his return from 11 months off the track.

Form: 32F7/28-

Shanroe Tic Tec³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling| OR: 109

11/2

Not excelled in three starts in maiden/novice hurdles for previous trainer Jennifer Mason. With a new trainer now for handicap debut and that coincides with the combination of a shorter trip and quicker ground; market a potential guide.

Form: 4UU35-4

Best Practice³³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 108| BF

18/1

Unexposed, but so far a fairly moderate looking seven-year-old who makes his handicap debut off a feasible mark. Off since July 2017 and back up in trip, so best to wait and see how he fares for the future.

Form: 0/823-

Chantecler^t³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 106

12/1

0 from 14 over hurdles (1 from 32 career), so hardly the most prolific and again a runner up at Ludlow last month (2m5f+ good) when beaten 5L by subsequent winner Just A Feeling.

Form: 42236-2

Notnow Seamus^t¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: William Marshall⁽⁷⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 105| BF

8/1

Didn't progress as expected for previous trainer Marjorie Fife, and a beaten favourite on both starts for this trainer (2m7f-3m); down in trip tonight, but hardly convincing until proving otherwise.

Form: 524/1-6P

Farmer Boy^b1²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Hawke| OR: 105

40/1

Comfortably held on handicap debut at Kempton in May (2m5f good), but drops 2lb in the weights with first time blinkers applied, so probably wise not to write off his chances altogether just yet.

Form: 4946-5

Londonia^h,t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 104

12/1

In decent shape over hurdles (2m-2m1f) around this time in 2017, but possibly just a fraction high in the weights as a result and with stamina to prove over this new trip.

Form: 12763-6

Mortens Leam³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: Mike Hawker| OR: 104

40/1

Left Pam Sly after finishing second over fences at Fakenham in March (2m5f soft). Better treated over hurdles (0 from 10), but inconclusive as to how much he'll be able to contribute based upon his first two starts for this yard.

Form: 2152U-6

Nemean Lion^p,t³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 104| C| D

14/1

Struggling on the whole since winning fortuitously over 3m here in October 2017 (good), and weakened tamely at Hexham latest (2m4f good); down a further 4lb in the weights but some additional positive signs are required.

Form: 19555-6

Born For War¹⁵³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 104

14/1

Placed in a point and a couple of minor bumpers, but is looking rather costly at £40,000. That said, it's entirely possible he'll find his level in handicaps (debut today), and this longer trip looks to be a plus.

Form: 233/658-

Towering^b¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Brennan| T: C R Dore| OR: 103| D

33/1

Pops up from time to time at decent odds, but his last two wins have come with cut in the ground, so that's a potential negative with regards his chance tonight; well held seventh of 13 at Huntingdon latest (2m4f+ good).

Form: 6177-P7

Undisputed¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: Noel Williams| OR: 103

12/1

No obvious signs that wind surgery has improved her performance, but possible that we should wait until after tonight before deciding conclusively (her first start on a quicker surface); has previous C&D experience from December 2016.

Form: 12743-5

Mister Kalanisi²⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 102

66/1

Formerly with Dan Skelton and was coming back from a two plus year absence when a never involved sixth of nine on handicap debut over C&D last month (50/1). Unexposed, but risky.

Form: 23544/6

Wildmoor Boy²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dickin| OR: 100

25/1

Pulled up after not jumping well on his recent Stratford chasing debut (2m3f+) and immediately switched back to hurdling with a fairly low level of expectation.

Form: 623/P-9P

Jack Lamb¹⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 99

16/1

Half-brother to the useful hurdler/chaser Rubert Lamb, but mixed fortunes over obstacles so far, reappearing tonight after a six month break (fell latest). Mark a fair one, so holds place prospects if fully fit; market helpful.

Form: 77/4P3F-

Cafe Au Lait^p,t⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 98| D

9/4

Beat previous winner Zolfo when making a winning chasing debut at Bangor last week (2m4f+ good), and reverts back to hurdles (3-36) without a penalty for a trainer who took this in 2017 with Petrou. Obvious chance.

Form: 2223-31

Forecasts

Cafe Au Lait (9/4), Shanroe Tic Tec (11/2), Notnow Seamus (8/1), Londonia (12/1), Undisputed (12/1), Chantecler (12/1), Born For War (14/1), Nemean Lion (14/1), Jack Lamb (16/1), Barkis (16/1), Best Practice (18/1), Wildmoor Boy (25/1), Towering (33/1), Mortens Leam (40/1), Farmer Boy (40/1), Mister Kalanisi (66/1)

A sizeable field, but plenty can be discounted. The market promises to be a useful guide for a couple of the runners including Shanroe Tic Tec (stable/handicap debut), and Jack Lamb (first start since December). Barkis was runner up in this race in 2017, so has realistic place prospects. Scarcely seen since it's perhaps notable that he remains in the care of Nicky Henderson (saddled a couple of winners here last week). However, it is another Dan Skelton trained runner who should take the beating, with CAFE AU LAIT switched back to hurdles following a winning chasing debut at Bangor last week; perhaps bidding to run up a similar sequence to the 2017 winner Petrou.