14:25 Southwell

Thursday 10 January 2019

All12:4513:2013:5514:2515:0015:35

Betway Handicap

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 1m 15.03s

(5)

Tan¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 80| C| D

11/2

Never tried over this trip on Fibresand but has won over it on turf/Polytrack turning in one of his best efforts last time to back up some good recent efforts. Made all last time and raised 5lb for that victory (should still cope with this mark).

Form: 883231-

(3)

Black Salt²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: R Winston| T: T D Barron| OR: 78| CD

1/1

Both visits here have resulted in victories over C&D (impressive on both occasions) and he turned in a career-best performance last time. Will need to progress again to defy an 8lb higher mark but he beat some solid Fibresand performers last time.

Form: 457131-

(2)

Bellevarde⁹^{(ex 6)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Jonathan Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: R J Price| OR: 72| CD

16/1

Back to winning ways last time over C&D (first win at this trip) showing that she's well suited by this surface. Should still be competitive off this higher mark (had Jack The Truth behind last time); may find one or two better treated.

Form: 49236-1

(7)

Jack The Truth⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Jessica Cooley⁽⁷⁾| T: George Scott| OR: 76| CD

8/1

Has a C&D win to his name (one of two wins here) and he did well here generally around this time last year. Third on his recent return here to Bellevarde the 6lb reversal in the weights may well allow him to reverse the form.

Form: 26286-3

(4)

Guardia Svizzera^h³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Cam Hardie| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 73| D

33/1

Hit a purple patch last August winning three turf handicaps over sprint trips and rising to a mark in the low 80's on the back of those victories. Tried in better company since then without success including over 7f here last time; hard to assess.

Form: 110000-

(1)

The Right Choice^b⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: P Mathers| T: R A Fahey| OR: 70| CD

9/2

His best performance here came over C&D; only try at this trip on Fibresand but that was only in a claimer (career best). Ran well enough last time out back in a handicap in a race containing plenty with course form; off the same mark here.

Form: 34471-3

(6)

Crosse Fire^p⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 67| CD

12/1

Eight-time course winner (two over C&D) but with a losing run that is starting to mount up despite running some creditable races of late. May appreciate a return to this trip after getting outpaced over 5f last time; slipped below last winning mark.

Form: 65735-3

Forecasts

Black Salt (1/1), The Right Choice (9/2), Tan (11/2), Jack The Truth (8/1), Crosse Fire (12/1), Bellevarde (16/1), Guardia Svizzera (33/1)

Five of the seven in this field are C&D winners with Tan one of the two that isn’t equally at home on the surface although he’s yet to try this trip on Fibresand. He should put up a good effort having won over 6f at Lingfield last time but he may struggle to cope with BLACK SALT who is unbeaten here and looks to have further progress in him even off this 8lb higher mark. Bellvarde and Jack The Truth met here last time and the latter looks capable of reversing that form without being good enough to add to his C&D win. The Right Choice isn’t easy to ignore despite this being a tougher contest than he usually contests with Crosse Fire on a winning mark if he can regain his best form.