14:25 Southwell

Monday 26 August 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

MSR Newsgroup Handicap

Off time: 14:27 | Winning time: 1m 14.92s

(2)

Scuzeme^h⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: B A Curtis| T: Phillip Makin| OR: 70| D

11/4

Appeared to be a rejuvenated sort for a move to this yard highlighted by a 6f win at Thirsk in May (off 6lb lower). Failed to match that form since (below form the last twice); shaped encouragingly on his one previous Fibresand try (stable debut).

Form: 125488

(5)

Bengali Boys^b,h⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: George Downing| T: A W Carroll| OR: 70

12/1

First experience of this surface (sire has a reasonable strike-rate here) having been well below form of late in four starts for this yard (previously with Richard Fahey). Continues to fall in the handicap but with little sign of taking advantage.

Form: 665800

(4)

Inaam³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Georgia Cox⁽³⁾| T: J Butler| OR: 70

25/1

Looks to have rather lost his way since returning to one of his original yards running poorly after a break last time (struggled from a fair way out). One previous outing on Fibresand came when he was in much better form; hard to support for now.

Form: 120900

(11)

Tan¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 65| C| D

5/2

Course winner (5f) on stable debut taking advantage of a much reduced mark; appears to like this surface. Struggled for the most part this year at sprint trips hanging badly last time having been given a three-month break; one of the lesser lights.

Form: 807509

(6)

Declamation¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-1| J: Joey Haynes| T: J Butler| OR: 61| CD

14/1

Two-time C&D winner in lowly company with his latest win coming over 7f (Polytrack) on his only run for Paul Howling. Now back with his former yard he lacked any sharpness over 1m last time; now back at 6f this run should reveal more.

Form: 89631-8

(8)

Beechwood Izzy²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: S A Gray| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 62| D

14/1

Fair sort in this company but yet to win a handicap despite a mark that continues to fall (career-low here). Ran poorly on soft ground last time having taken a step forward previously; one previous modest effort on Fibresand (handicap debut).

Form: 4-06967

(10)

Gorgeous General¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: P Mulrennan| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 59| CD

11/2

Three wins on Fibresand including one over this trip (all career wins on AW); highly-tried last time out, better expected back in this grade. Ran soundly enough prior to his last outing looking capable of getting involved returned to Fibresand.

Form: 543427

(9)

Amelia R⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: J Quinn| T: R Craggs| OR: 60| D

8/1

Improved to get off the mark over 6f at Nottingham (looked suited by the trip) off an 8lb lower mark in July. Better than her finishing position in both starts since (undone by the draw both times); doubts remain about the suitability of Fibresand.

Form: 6-08175

(3)

Caso Do Lago¹⁵¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: A McCarthy| T: R Brisland| OR: 57

50/1

Fair handicapper at best when last seen back in 2015 (two AW wins in Ireland to his name). Considerable absence to overcome now and having never encountered this surface before has plenty of questions to answer.

Form: 116304/

(1)

Chez Vegas^b1³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-5| J: J P Sullivan| T: S Dixon| OR: 50| D

18/1

Three starts this year broken up by some fair breaks have shown him to be in modest form at best; 0-6 on Fibresand. Ran to just a poor level on turf last time; hard to fashion a strong argument for his chance even in first-time blinkers.

Form: 459-803

(7)

Optimickstickhill^b²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: P Mathers| T: S Dixon| OR: 48

25/1

Built on the promise of a previous start when winning a modest 5f handicap at Ripon in June (race run to suit). Didn't look an obvious sort to follow up and so it's proved with three meek runs ensuing; 0-9 on Fibresand.

Form: 741786

Forecasts

Tan (5/2), Scuzeme (11/4), Gorgeous General (11/2), Amelia R (8/1), Bengali Boys (12/1), Beechwood Izzy (14/1), Declamation (14/1), Chez Vegas (18/1), Inaam (25/1), Optimickstickhill (25/1), Caso Do Lago (50/1)

Far from an enticing betting medium with plenty of these struggling to find their best form of late and that presents triple course winner GORGEOUS GENERAL with a good chance of returning to winning form back on his favourite surface. Amelia R has to be respected on the back of her turf form and she shouldn’t get undone by the draw this time although she does have prove herself on this surface. A return to Fibresand could spark Scuzeme back to some sort of form having run well here before with the market worth watching on Declamation; he should be sharper for his comeback run.