20:15 Southwell

Tuesday 29 October 2019

All16:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Bombardier 'March To Your Own Drum' Handicap

Off time: 20:16 | Winning time: 1m 28.02s

(11)

Suitcase 'n' Taxi⁸^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 58| CD

13/8

Brought a long losing run to a conclusion when making all over C&D last time to defeat Break The Silence confirming that this trip really suit him these days. In one of his better spells at the moment; carries a 5lb penalty, still unexposed over 7f.

Form: 640221

(9)

Strict¹²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 62

8/1

Showed plenty of stamina when finishing third on his handicap debut at Newbury over 1m (last run for Andrew Balding). Joined a good yard for his Fibresand debut (runs without cheekpieces this time); market may guide as to expectations.

Form: 9563

(5)

Epona¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 61

12/1

Failed to win this season; returned from a wind op over C&D last time but that procedure appeared to have had little effect on her form. Mark continues to edge downwards but hard to make a case for on her most recent piece of form.

Form: 464906

(3)

Geography Teacher^p⁵³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Rossa Ryan| T: R M Smith| OR: 59| C

20/1

Three course wins are a clear indicator that he acts on this unique surface although he's never won over this trip; last win for his former yard coming over 1m. Shaped better than it looks last time but still to really sparkle for this yard.

Form: 476130

(6)

Break The Silence^b⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Jonathan Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 57| BF| CD

3/1

This will be his 26th run here; hard to fault his form since returning from a break recording two C&D wins and hitting the frame the last three times. Sure to go close again despite this busy spell; 5lb better off with Suitcase 'N' Taxi.

Form: 116232

(7)

Newstead Abbey¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-6| J: T Eaves| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 57| C| D

40/1

Course winner earlier in the year off a 4lb higher mark who hasn't shown any zip of late including on turf last time. Usual headgear left off again but would need a return to form and he's not been showing that's very likely.

Form: 608869

(10)

Bee Machine^t⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Zak Wheatley⁽⁷⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 52| CD

15/2

C&D winner but that's his only Fibresand success in 13 attempts although he was a good third behind two of today's rivals last time having been kept busy of late. Has won off this sort of mark but likely to come up short again.

Form: 907253

(4)

Sooqaan^p²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 52| CD

14/1

Multiple course winner with one of those wins coming at this trip; has looked a little lacklustre of late though. Failed to come on for a recent run when well beaten at Wolverhampton last time; return here may well help him revive.

Form: 359960

(13)

The Golden Cue¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: Steph Hollinshead| OR: 51| C

33/1

Won here on his initial try on this surface over 6f (needed very yard of that trip); slipped 10lb below that mark having failed to win since. Did take a marginal step forward last time on turf but hard to enthuse over overall.

Form: 607407

(2)

Any Smile¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Shelley Birkett| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 49

33/1

Arrives here clutching a career record that reads 0-9 and looking out of sorts at the moment after running a dismal race on turf at Yarmouth last time (7f, heavy). Yard do well here but lots to prove on her Fibresand debut.

Form: 778959

(8)

Longville Lilly^b⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Josephine Gordon| T: T Wall| OR: 45

80/1

Huge questions to answer having shown very little having entered handicap company off a lowly mark faring no better in first-time blinkers last time. Yet to test herself on Fibresand but likely to come up short once again.

Form: 058808

Non-Runners

(1)

Abie's Hollow¹³

Weight: 9-6| Age: 3

T: T Coyle & K Wood J: Non Runner

(12)

Searanger¹²

Weight: 8-13| Age: 6

T: R Menzies J: P J McDonald

Forecasts

Suitcase 'n' Taxi (13/8), Break The Silence (3/1), Searanger (6/1), Bee Machine (15/2), Strict (8/1), Epona (12/1), Sooqaan (14/1), Abie's Hollow (14/1), Geography Teacher (20/1), Any Smile (33/1), The Golden Cue (33/1), Newstead Abbey (40/1), Longville Lilly (80/1)

It remains to be seen how long the good spell of SUITCASE 'N' TAXI lasts but he looked a natural on this surface last time when defeating a good Fibresand yardstick in Break The Silence with Bee Machine back in third and despite a 5lb penalty he’s taken to confirm that form. Searanger has some bits and pieces of form here but it’s arguable if his style of racing will really be suited by this track whilst five-time course winner Sooqaan needs to find some form before he’s of interest. One who does interest greatly is the Mick Appleby newcomer to the Fibresand Strict, he showed plenty of promise at Newbury and a market move here would be significant.