12:40 Southwell

Sunday 29 December 2019

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Novice Median Auction Stakes

Off time: 12:45 | Winning time: 59.54s

(6)

Castashadow^b1²⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: T Eaves| T: A D Brown| OR: 44

66/1

Been tried between 5f and 1m in four starts, but is yet to show much ability. Now tried blinkered for the first time, but makes limited appeal.

Form: 8090

(2)

Xian Express^b¹¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: B A Curtis| T: M Appleby| OR: 79

7/4

Ran badly on debut for current yard, but went without usual headgear there, and showed more than enough for Paddy Twomey in Ireland to suggest a race like this would be a formality. Likely to be hard to beat.

Form: 42329

(5)

Alex Gracie³²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: Jonathan Fisher⁽⁷⁾| T: S Dixon| OR: 62

5/1

Similar form in a trio of runs at up to 7f here, and while she's no world beater, she looks to have fair place claims given her consistency on the surface.

Form: 335

(3)

Astrozone¹³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: B Smart| OR: 66

7/4

Runner-up on nursery bow over C&D last month, and matched that form when third at Wolverhampton last time in a similar event. That form will likely be enough to get her a place at least in a race lacking depth.

Form: 62323

(4)

Due A Diamond

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: D Shaw

25/1

By Due Diligence out of a 7f winner, and has an appealing enough pedigree for a yard back among the winners of late. Stable would not be associated with first-time winners, however.

Form:

(1)

Girl Of Dreams²⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: Sophie Ralston⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans

150/1

Heeraat filly who has been tailed off last on both her outings to date, and makes no appeal at all on racecourse evidence.

Form: 09

(7)

Shymay³⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: David Probert| T: G G Margarson

13/2

Just modest form when sixth on both starts to date, but shaped much better than on debut when behind Queen of All in a 7f novice at Kempton last time. Will improve, and not dismissed.

Form: 66

Forecasts

Astrozone (7/4), Xian Express (7/4), Alex Gracie (5/1), Shymay (13/2), Due A Diamond (25/1), Castashadow (66/1), Girl Of Dreams (150/1)

It should pay to forgive a poor effort on debut for his new yard, and XIAN EXPRESS is expected to break his duck with blinkers refitted now. Astrozone has solid form here, and will take advantage if the selection misfires, with Shymay easily the most interesting of the others.