12:50 Southwell

Thursday 30 January 2020

All12:5013:2013:5514:3015:0515:3516:05

Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap

Off time: 12:51 | Winning time: 59.28s

(2)

First Excel^b⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: J Quinn| T: S R Bowring| OR: 60| C

13/2

Twice placed here (6f) from higher marks during November 2019 but less productive of late and doesn't win too often either (4-39 career); interesting to see how he fares now dropped in trip; market check needed.

Form: 7823-96

(1)

Hey Ho Let's Go¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: J Mitchell| T: M R Hoad| OR: 59

4/1

Maiden (0-12); things haven't gone entirely his way on a couple of recent starts (over C&D); was in the thick of things when beaten less than 2L (fourth) by the well-backed Red Stripes a fortnight ago; closely matched with Loulin.

Form: 56724-4

(6)

Moveonup^v²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: George Rooke⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Gay Kelleway| OR: 59| D

13/2

Broke his duck at the 15th attempt when making all in a Chelmsford maiden (5f; first-time visor); could only plug on for pressure when finishing third (beaten 5¾L) to Mulzim in the finale here on Tuesday.

Form: 4808-13

(5)

Red Invader^p¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-5| J: Joey Haynes| T: J Butler| OR: 58| CD

40/1

Moody since winning back-to-back races on the AW during the spring of 2019; is steadily easing in the weights and showed a little more sparkle latest (finished immediately behind Loulin and Hey Ho Let's Go).

Form: R0978-5

(4)

Loulin^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 58| BF| CD

6/1

Ended 2019 in a fine spell of form when justifying favouritism at Chelmsford (5f); awkward at the start when disappointing at Newcastle (penultimate); close third (Hey Ho Let's Go, Red Invader and Filbert Street behind) over C&D since.

Form: 1421-03

(7)

Qaaraat⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 56| D

8/1

Short-head winner off this mark at Newcastle (5f) in November 2019; has again suggested that his turn is near - repeatedly denied a clear run behind an effortless winner (Jan Van Hoof) at Newcastle last week; major player.

Form: 1278-44

(9)

Gupta⁶²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: D H Brown| OR: 55WS

25/1

Seven-race maiden who has fallen 9lb in the weights since introduced to handicapping; returning from a 62-day absence (and wind surgery); monitoring brief advised.

Form: 460808-

(8)

Harry's Ridge⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Jason Hart| T: E J Alston| OR: 53| BF

10/3

Five-race maiden; placed on both handicap starts at Wolverhampton (5f), including when 3L third to a stablemate of Qaaraat (Mutabaahy); low mileage and handily weighted, so could feasibly be involved if proving to be as effective on Fibresand.

Form: 09533-

(10)

Amazing Amaya^h⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: D Shaw| OR: 50| CD

11/1

Sprung a 50-1 surprise when nailing Loulin on the line over C&D in early December; proved that was no fluke when in there pitching (third) off her revised mark since; is thought to be more than capable of making the frame.

Form: 036513-

(3)

Filbert Street^b¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: L Morris| T: R Brotherton| OR: 49| CD

14/1

Won a Class 6 C&D handicap for Mick Appleby in late October; 0-4 for Roy Brotherton since; was slowly into stride when sixth (tucked in behind Loulin, Hey Ho Let's Go and Red Invader) a fortnight ago.

Form: 4160-66

Forecasts

Harry's Ridge (10/3), Hey Ho Let's Go (4/1), Loulin (6/1), Moveonup (13/2), First Excel (13/2), Qaaraat (8/1), Amazing Amaya (11/1), Filbert Street (14/1), Gupta (25/1), Red Invader (40/1)

An open 5f sprint to kick-off the Southwell action with plenty of recent C&D form to dissect. Loulin continues to run well coming out on top of Hey Ho Let's Go, Red Invader and Filbert Street here a fortnight ago, while he also has history with the mildly appealing mare Amazing Amaya. First Excel should be monitored for signs of market support, but obviously it's a slight worry that he's never won over the minimum trip. Therefore, from his last winning mark and an eye-catcher in defeat to a smooth travelling, well-handicapped winner (Jan Van Hoof) at Newcastle last week, the safest advice is to stick with Antony Brittain's QAARAAT.