16:10 Southwell

Thursday 2 May 2019

All14:0514:3515:0515:3516:1016:4517:15

Southwell Golf Club Handicap

Off time: 16:12 | Winning time: 1m 28.19s

(8)

Spinart^e/s1¹⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: S W Kelly| T: Mrs P Sly| OR: 66| D

25/1

1-21, with that win coming under an ultra-confident Jamie Spencer ride at Yarmouth (7f, good to soft) in August 2018; eye-shields are applied for his second career Fibresand start; seasonal reappearance.

Form: 351470-

(7)

Mr Strutter¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: A Elliott| T: Ronald Thompson| OR: 65| C

40/1

Course winner (6f) in December 2018, now rated 5lb higher; slowly away and out the back throughout on turf at his favoured Thirsk (6f) recently in a race which has thrown up various subsequent winners.

Form: 541-470

(2)

My Town Chicago¹⁰^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Joshua Bryan⁽³⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 60| D

9/1

Off the mark at the sixth attempt despite losing a shoe on Tapeta at Wolverhampton (7f) ten days ago; 3lb higher today; likes to bowl along in front, so won't need to worry about facing the dreaded Fibresand (debut) 'kickback'.

Form: 5-46401

(4)

Thunder Buddy^p¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁵⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 63| CD

8/1

Always handy throughout when recording a second C&D win in February (now rated 4lb higher); not half as effective since - probably doesn't stay 1m; faces stiff competition up front in this particular contest.

Form: 143130

(9)

Sooqaan^p³

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

7/1

Mixed fortunes since staying on strongly to win by in excess of 2L from Baron Run over C&D in February; has course previous with Thunder Buddy (March 30th); 2lb above his last winning mark; trainer in-form.

Form: 416626

(6)

Mister Freeze^t,v¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: K T O'Neill| T: P R Chamings| OR: 60| CD

33/1

Back on Fibresand for the first time since winning narrowly over C&D in March 2018 (off this mark); well beaten last of 15 on return from a 12 month absence at Windsor (6f) recently.

Form: 53180-0

(3)

Face Like Thunder^b1²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Danny Brock| T: J Butler| OR: 60

66/1

Below-par since leaving Andrew Balding for 7,000gns in October 2018; well beaten on both previous Fibresand starts (over 1m); blinkers applied on second start for John Butler.

Form: 069-600

(12)

Liamba¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 60

7/2

Remains a maiden on the AW, but has made the frame on her last three starts, including when beaten ½L by today's rival My Town Chicago at Wolverhampton (7f) ten days ago; no issues with Southwell; stamina a slight doubt.

Form: 2-35232

(5)

Beautiful Artist⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Seamus Cronin⁽⁵⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 60

66/1

Six-race maiden; left John Gosden for a mere 6,000gns in February 2018; eased right down on stable debut at Lingfield (1m) 48-days ago; risky proposition.

Form: 6774/7-0

(11)

Sebastiano Ricci¹⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: S De Sousa| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 57| DWS

11/1

Infrequent winner in Ireland; placed off a similar mark to today's over 7f at Kempton in November 2018; back from a 106-day absence following wind surgery; noteworthy that SDS rides; market a guide.

Form: 99038-6

(10)

Size Matters²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: L Morris| T: M Walford| OR: 51| D

25/1

Did okay post wind surgery at Newcastle (7f) when finishing sixth of 12 to Midnight Vixen, but not enough to imply that he's a winner in waiting either; reasonably handicapped with no obvious issues with this surface (0-1).

Form: 73569-6

(1)

Ticks The Boxes¹^{(ex 4)}

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Kieran Schofield⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 46| BF| C

13/8

Beat Socialites Red by 3L on debut for Brian Ellison over 6f here 11 days ago; also declared to race under a 4lb penalty (4lb well in) at this track on Wednesday (1.30pm); of definite interest.

Form: 6-57212

Forecasts

Ticks The Boxes (13/8), Liamba (7/2), Sooqaan (7/1), Thunder Buddy (8/1), My Town Chicago (9/1), Sebastiano Ricci (11/1), Spinart (25/1), Size Matters (25/1), Mister Freeze (33/1), Mr Strutter (40/1), Face Like Thunder (66/1), Beautiful Artist (66/1)

Much depends upon whether or not the Brian Ellison-trained Ticks The Boxes is asked to turnout on successive days (also declared to race here on Wednesday 1.30pm). However, with his presence in the line-up seemingly questionable, an obvious alternative would be the recent Wolverhampton winner MY TOWN CHICAGO. Kevin Frost's 4yo won the battle for the lead on that occasion over Liamba, and assuming that he can do so once more (Thunder Buddy also races prominently), he will miss the dreaded kickback and hopefully notch a second straight career/AW win.