14:20 Southwell

Tuesday 11 December 2018

All11:5012:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Follow Sun Racing On Twitter Handicap

Off time: 14:23 | Winning time: 1m 27.20s

(4)

Blacklooks¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Jane Elliott⁽³⁾| T: I Furtado| OR: 82| D

10/1

Wolverhampton winner at the end of last year but has been well beaten on his only two starts since. Sire has a fair record on this surface and this gelding can't be ruled out if he takes to the test, though his slow starts are a little off-putting.

Form: R781-00

(10)

Esprit De Corps³⁰⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D C Costello| T: T D Barron| OR: 80

40/1

Just one win from 11 starts. Well beaten on debut for this yard when last seen and has a significant absence to overcome here.

Form: 24520-8

(13)

Weld Al Emarat²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 80| C

2/1

Both his wins have come at this course, book-ending his 15-race career to date. a 10lb rise is fair for the impressive nature of the success last time out and should be right there if he can overcome his wide draw.

Form: 328451

(7)

Hammer Gun^v⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: P Mathers| T: D Shaw| OR: 80| CD

8/1

Six-time course winner in a poor run of form at present. Has dropped to a workable handicap mark but slow starts have blunted his chance on recent outings and that has to be a concern around here. Won this last year.

Form: 800780

(5)

Gentlemen^h¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Nicola Currie| T: P S McEntee| OR: 79| D

25/1

Ended a lengthy losing run with a win at Chelmsford in November and went close in a bid for successive wins when runner-up. Disappointed when last seen but still feasibly handicapped on old form and can't be ruled out if taking to the surface.

Form: 497127

(9)

Mr Minerals^p,t¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Finley Marsh⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 77| D

11/4

Won his first two AW starts last year and only narrowly denied when bidding for his first win since over C&D last time out. Needs a bit more here but that looked a decent race and his proven ability to handle the surface a huge positive.

Form: 465592

(3)

Guardia Svizzera^h⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: P J McDonald| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 76| D

28/1

Rattled off a hat-trick on turf towards the end of the campaign but handicapper seemingly caught up with him and his AW form hasn't been quite at the same level. Fibresand debut.

Form: 111000

(11)

Majestic Moon⁶⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: Shelley Birkett| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 76| C| D

20/1

Got his first win since 2015 over 1m here at the start of the year. Back below his last winning mark now and was running well in defeat when last seen so has to be of interest back here.

Form: 424645

(2)

Monks Stand^p⁸⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: F Norton| T: J Mackie| OR: 75| C

50/1

Rattled off a hat-trick here earlier in the year but hasn't beaten a rival home on any of his last five starts, making him a risky proposition here. Needs to benefit from the break.

Form: 987600

(6)

London¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Grace McEntee⁽⁷⁾| T: P S McEntee| OR: 74| C| D

12/1

Course winner from a 15lb higher mark back in January. Shaped like a return to the winners' enclosure has looked imminent on several recent starts and he probably did too much too soon at Chelmsford last time. Interesting contender.

Form: 002247

(1)

Angel Palanas^p¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Jonathan Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 73| CD

8/1

Got the better of Mr Minerals here last time out but struggled a little at the weights off this sort of mark in the summer. Perhaps a little vulnerable in a deeper race here.

Form: 635391

(12)

Art Echo^p,t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: J Mackie| OR: 73| D

50/1

Won at Wolverhampton in July but has returned well below that level of form and he's finished well beaten on each of his last three starts.

Form: 912070

(8)

Gibeno^b1,t⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 68

14/1

Still a maiden after 11 starts. Yard do well with these types but the gelding needs to improve to play a part at this level.

Form: 544039

Forecasts

Weld Al Emarat (2/1), Mr Minerals (11/4), Angel Palanas (8/1), Hammer Gun (8/1), Blacklooks (10/1), London (12/1), Gibeno (14/1), Majestic Moon (20/1), Gentlemen (25/1), Guardia Svizzera (28/1), Esprit De Corps (40/1), Art Echo (50/1), Monks Stand (50/1)

A high-class renewal of the race Hammer Gun won last year but he may struggle to go back-to-back here with runners such as WELD AL EMARAT who is starting to make a name for himself as a course specialist having won both starts here. London is very well-handicapped and is expected to run well after some promising effort in defeat.