19:20 Southwell

Wednesday 24 April 2019

All16:4517:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:50

Watch Sky Sports Racing In HD On Sky 415 Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 19:21 | Winning time: 5m 23.6s

Orkan²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Hammond| T: M Walford| OR: 106

25/1

Best effort to date when second of 4 to Not That Fuisse in novice at Aintree on hurdling debut, but he has not built on that, and ran badly at Uttoxeter on handicap debut. Dropped just 1lb for that, and others better treated.

Form: 558-24P

Indian Native^p1,t⁸⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Williams| T: A M Hales| OR: 104| D

16/1

Fourth to smart Mister Whitaker over fences last season, but let down by jumping on return to action, and again made mistakes when reverting to hurdles last time. Cheekpieces reached for now, and questions to answer.

Form: 43P2-67

Pershing¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Kieron Edgar| T: K Frost| OR: 103| C

20/1

Failed to beat a rival on his return at Wetherby, but fared better when fifth of 7 to Lucky Lover Boy in a 2m handicap at Huntingdon last time. Needs to build on that, but not dismissed out of hand.

Form: 8/142-65

Manofthemoment³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: R Patrick| T: T R George| OR: 102

5/2

Raced prominently for a long way at Newbury on handicap bow, only fading from the final flight, and built on that when scoring at Exeter (2m) last time. Up 5lb for that, but going the right way, and longer trip should suit.

Form: 709591

Bodes Well^p³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-8| J: Harry Teal⁽³⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 106

16/1

Sole win over hurdles achieved in a juvenile event at Fontwell last October and been more miss than hit since. Handicapper has eased him in the weights since latest modest effort, but he needs to show more to take advantage.

Form: 163756

Shine Baby Shine²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 100

6/1

Hurdles form this season is very patchy, but benefited from a breathing operation when runner-up on AW here last time, and well treated if she can carry that form back to this discipline.

Form: 74-P5PP

Just Call Me Al¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Joe Williamson⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 100

9/1

Hinted at better in qualifying runs, and in preocess of showing much-improved form when unseating his rider in a novice handicap won by Oscar Nomination over C&D last time. One to keep on side.

Form: 29745U

Zee Man^t1⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Jordan Nailor⁽³⁾| T: David Dennis| OR: 98WS

16/1

Hasn't lived up to early promise over hurdles, and only seventh of 9 to Star of Rory in a 2m handicap at Warwick last time. Has had wind surgery since that run, so could conceivably do better.

Form: 0-P57P7

Midnight Aurora¹⁹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: William Marshall⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 97

4/1

Huge improvement when upped to 2m7f at Worcester in August, and has maintained that progress with a pair of second-place finishes since. Off since October, but unlikely to want for fitness, and should make an impact again.

Form: 955122

Druid's Folly¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Fergus Gregory| T: C Fryer| OR: 89

25/1

Better class than this at best but on the downgrade these days and fared no better on first run following wind surgery at Plumpton recently. Hard to see him breaking long losing run on that evidence.

Form: 53860P

Polarbrook^v¹⁴¹

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Sam Coltherd| T: D Shaw| OR: 86| BF| CD

20/1

Decent third in a handicap hurdle over an extended 2m4f at Huntingdon in November, but tailed off here on only subsequent outing, and likely to need the run after a break.

Form: 52-4539

Timely Gift⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Charlie Price⁽⁸⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 84

7/1

Lightly raced since winning at Ffos Las in 2017, and was on the retreat when falling at Uttoxeter in February. Returns from another break now, and others preferred on balance.

Form: 05/71P-F

Taras Day^p,t1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-3| J: Patrick Cowley| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 81

25/1

Poor form to date, and not shown any sign of improvement for current yard this season. Tongue tied now, but hard to warm to on racecourse evidence.

Form: 970-677

Forecasts

Manofthemoment (5/2), Midnight Aurora (4/1), Shine Baby Shine (6/1), Timely Gift (7/1), Just Call Me Al (9/1), Indian Native (16/1), Bodes Well (16/1), Zee Man (16/1), Pershing (20/1), Polarbrook (20/1), Taras Day (25/1), Druid's Folly (25/1), Orkan (25/1)

MIDNIGHT AURORA has improved in recent starts, winning at Worcester in August, and she should be ready to go again after a break, so merits serious consideration, as does Shine Baby Shine, who ran well on Fibresand here recently. Just Call Me Al was showing improved form when crashing out over C&D on his latest start, and completes the shortlist.