15:45 Southwell

Thursday 3 January 2019

All12:5513:3014:0014:3515:1015:45

Follow Top Tipster Templegate At Sun Racing Handicap

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 1m 28.38s

(3)

Showmethedough^p1²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Sebastian Woods⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 65

13/2

Fibresand debutante (sire has a 14.7% strike-rate here) who ran a respectable race when last seen without showing the necessary zip to be of interest. Cheekpieces may extract some progress; yet to win a handicap despite a reduced mark.

Form: 058388-

(8)

Queens Royale^v⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 64| CD

15/2

Won her first three starts over C&D before seemingly losing her way on the surface the last twice she's tried it. Not been seen here for over a year now and well below form on her recent AW return; visor worn for her three wins returns.

Form: 952849-

(2)

Brigand¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Tim Clark⁽³⁾| T: P W D'Arcy| OR: 62

66/1

Showed very little when with the John Butler yard and that trend continued on his first run for this yard over C&D. Never got beyond mid-division and struggled to beat just one rival home; others appeal far more.

Form: 200000-

(6)

Poyle George Two^b⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Charles Bishop| T: R M Beckett| OR: 62

14/1

First-time blinkers worn last time and retained here didn't appear to help his cause over 7f at Kempton. Those are retained now on his 2nd try on this surface having run well enough over 5f here last year when well backed; more needed.

Form: 53370-

(9)

Sooqaan^p²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 61| C

7/1

Four-time course winner over 1m (best ridden prominently) and given a less than positive ride here last time having shaped well in other recent starts here. Ought to be able to make use of a slipping mark under the correct tactics if coping with 7f.

Form: 00628-7

(5)

Grinty^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: A Mullen| T: M Dods| OR: 60| D

5/1

Ran one of his better races last time on Fibresand debut over this trip with cheekpieces on for the first-time (retained here). Helped to force the pace and stuck on relatively well but hardly thrown in off this mark; place chance again.

Form: 753003-

(7)

Break The Silence^p¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Dixon| OR: 57| CD

8/1

C&D winner but has had plenty of practice on this surface rarely running anywhere else of late although most of his recent attempts have come over 1m.Had looked to be coming back to form but ran poorly the last twice.

Form: 462268-

(10)

Thunder Buddy¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 55

9/2

Good pedigree for this surface with his sire (Mayson) already making his mark here (half-brother to Fibresand winner). Showed his first form off the back of a break over C&D in lowly company (winner won again next time); same mark, definite player.

Form: 70583-

(4)

Boots And Spurs^v¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 8-10| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 54| C| D

5/1

Losing run is starting to stack up now but he does handle this surface (twice a winner over 1m here); back in a visor last time and returned to form. Has won off much higher marks in the past; trip could be on the short side but hard to ignore.

Form: 032872-

(12)

Cold Fire³¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Robbie Walsh⁽⁷⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 52

50/1

Showed little in four AW starts for two previous trainers and finished last of five on his only previous try here over 6f. Upped to 1m for his handicap debut last time but gave little encouragement and best watched on stable debut.

Form: 49/57-

(11)

Ticks The Boxes^v¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-2| J: Nathan Evans| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 46| C

33/1

Ran one of his better races on his penultimate start over 6f here but that was in a lowly grade (0-55) and he was found out over the same trip in this class last time. Looked awkward last time and remains with an unconvincing profile.

Form: 307026-

(1)

Adiator^p⁶¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 8-2| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁷⁾| T: S Spencer| OR: 45

100/1

Returns from a major absence and was only seen twice in 2017 (both times too little effect) and hard to see him making much of an impact here for his new yard. Makes his Fibresand debut from out of the weights.

Form: 607099/

Forecasts

Thunder Buddy (9/2), Grinty (5/1), Boots And Spurs (5/1), Showmethedough (13/2), Sooqaan (7/1), Queens Royale (15/2), Break The Silence (8/1), Poyle George Two (14/1), Ticks The Boxes (33/1), Cold Fire (50/1), Brigand (66/1), Adiator (100/1)

A competitive if modest end to the card with most of the field having tried this surface before. It certainly looked as though THUNDER BUDDY (who is by Mayson) appreciated the move to Fibresand last time showing much improved form and he taken to go two better here with the winner of that race having scored again since. Boots And Spurs adds a little back class to the race and he’s dangerously well handicapped if building on his 2nd here last time. Sooqaan is another who acts well here and given a positive ride may well feature again off a falling mark. Three-time C&D winner Queens Royale and Fibresand debutante (first-time cheekpieces) Showmethedough are two others to consider.