Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 1m 15.75s

(5)

Split Down South⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-13| J: Grace McEntee⁽⁷⁾| T: P S McEntee| OR: 76| BF| D

7/4

All four wins, including last week's narrow victory, have come on the Polytrack at Chelmsford (6f-7f); that said; he was only beaten by a head on his sole start on this surface (Nov 2019); key player under a 5lb penalty.

Form: 35-1241

(3)

Private Matter^b²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Hart| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 75| C| D

7/2

Made all to beat Al Suil Eile by ½L over 7f here in December; has blown rather hot and cold since then; on balance, the chances are that he is in the grip of the handicapper from a mark of 75; others more appealing.

Form: 521-525

(6)

Smokey Lane^b⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Gina Mangan⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 72| D

6/1

Yet to win on the AW (0-15), but is generally consistent enough and has a number of placed C&D efforts on his CV; was no match for the easy winner Steelriver in a 6f classified selling stakes at Wolverhampton five days ago.

Form: 4-33362

(1)

Kupa River^h¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 71| D

13/2

Can race keenly and that has often been to his detriment, hence a slide in the weights; more effective under a patient ride at Newcastle (6f) recently when finishing 2½L third of 11 to I Know How (in an eventful race).

Form: 577-873

(4)

Liamba^v¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Cam Hardie| T: D O'Meara| OR: 69| CD

11/1

Three-time C&D winner; has gone off the boil since winning back-to-back handicaps (Cl 5 & 6) here around the turn of the year; needs to bounce right back to her best in order to reverse placings with Coolagh Magic.

Form: 341-174

(2)

Coolagh Magic²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Spencer| OR: 67| C| D

11/2

Attractively weighted on previous form for Richard Fahey, albeit continues on a lengthy losing streak (13 races); kept on steadily from the rear when beaten just under 5L (third) by Sandridge Lad over C&D four weeks ago; a possible contender.

Form: 2888-53

Forecasts

Split Down South (7/4), Private Matter (7/2), Coolagh Magic (11/2), Smokey Lane (6/1), Kupa River (13/2), Liamba (11/1)

Any indication of market support for the attractively weighted Coolagh Magic would offer encouragement in a race where plenty have their respective flaws, with Liamba (out of form), Kupa River (can race keenly) and Private Matter (sits on a stiff handicap mark) being the most obvious examples. However, the safest option is probably to stick with the penalised Chelmsford scorer SPLIT DOWN SOUTH who picked up nicely from a difficult track position to score by a neck at the Essex venue just six days ago.