19:40 Southwell

Thursday 7 November 2019

All16:4017:1017:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:10

Bombardier 'March To Your Own Drum' Handicap

Off time: 19:42 | Winning time: 1m 40.11s

(6)

Alpha Tauri¹⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 9-10| J: Aled Beech⁽⁵⁾| T: C Smith| OR: 61| CD

14/1

Not the most reliable but there's always a chance that this 13 time course winner could spring a surprise; he already has two course wins to his name this year. Ran respectably over C&D when returning from a break last time; hard to totally ignore.

Form: 8-81514

(5)

Charlie Arthur⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Finley Marsh⁽³⁾| T: R Hughes| OR: 62| BF

3/1

Due to go up 2lb after his recent spell of good form which has included a Chelmsford 1m2f win off a 4lb lower mark. Back in trip here though off a mark he's been beaten twice off and encountering Fibresand for the first time; something to prove.

Form: 550122

(1)

Osmosis²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: B A Curtis| T: J Ward| OR: 60

9/1

Fibresand newcomer who found a good spell of form coming to a shuddering halt at Yarmouth last time in testing conditions over 1m2f. Yet to win a race she comes with question marks attached and has in the past looked to have the odd quirk or two.

Form: 483429

(3)

Geography Teacher^b1⁹

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

6/1

Has won three of his six races on this surface (yet to score anywhere else); those victories all came when he was with Roger Fell (appears to be finding his way for this yard). Laboured second over 7f here last time; now blinkered first-time.

Form: 761302

(8)

Closer Than Close^b1²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: P J McDonald| T: J G Portman| OR: 59

6/1

Blinkers are now on for the first-time in a bid to perk him up having shown only moderate form in a hood so far. Looks to be going in the right direction currently and with no Fibresand form to his name isn't hard to pass over in this contest.

Form: 543880

(7)

God Has Given^t²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: D Nolan| T: I Furtado| OR: 58

12/1

Unreliable individual who has left Ian Williams and still has to register a victory. Tried in a first-time tongue-tie on his stable debut with that equipment making very little difference to his attitude or ability to win a race; Fibresand debut.

Form: 557675

(11)

Atalanta Queen^b¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: K T O'Neill| T: R Brisland| OR: 52| CD

7/2

Three-time Fibresand winner who is perfectly at home over this trip running well here last time to be second to an improving sort matching her winning form the time before. Nudged up 1lb for that effort; sure to go well again on a surface she enjoys.

Form: 679312

(10)

The Gingerbreadman²²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: C W Fairhurst| OR: 45

20/1

Probably best summed up by his 0-18 record and form here which reads 5574. His two starts last month over 6f/7f here did nothing that would inspire you to support him even off a basement mark; offers very limited appeal.

Form: 579074

(2)

Amber Rock^p,t²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: J Fanning| T: J L Eyre| OR: 45

8/1

Just one previous attempt on Fibresand when first adorned by today's headgear combination (raced too freely); finished well held in midfield. Did nothing more to dispel the theory that he's limited last time; little appeal despite the drop in trip.

Form: 0-03977

Non-Runners

(4)

Rosin Box²⁰

Weight: 8-10| Age: 6

T: T Davidson J: Phil Dennis

(9)

Cliff Bay²³

Weight: 8-9| Age: 5

T: K Dalgleish J: Shane Gray

Forecasts

Charlie Arthur (3/1), Atalanta Queen (7/2), Geography Teacher (6/1), Closer Than Close (6/1), Amber Rock (8/1), Osmosis (9/1), Cliff Bay (10/1), God Has Given (12/1), Alpha Tauri (14/1), Rosin Box (16/1), The Gingerbreadman (20/1)

The form figures that Charlie Arthur brings into the race look quite attractive but there are some questions that he has to answer such as track, trip and mark and until he’s given a positive answer to those its best to look elsewhere and towards the more established Fibresand performers. First and foremost amongst those is ATALANTA QUEEN who arrives here on the back of a good effort over C&D where she may have been played a little too early and was caught close home; she has every chance of landing a 4th course win. Geography Teacher despite a rather laboured second last time ought to do better in first-time blinkers back over 1m. Cliff Bay and Alpha Tauri two others to take a note of.