18:15 Southwell

Thursday 29 October 2020

All16:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:45

Betway Handicap

Off time: 18:16 | Winning time: 57.32s

(7)

Katheefa²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 92| C

33/1

4-time course winner. Last of 11 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f, 22/1) 26 days ago. One to note back at a course that suits him well.

Form: 641820

(1)

Exalted Angel¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 90| CD

10/11

2 wins from 2 runs this year. 5/1, career best when winning 10-runner handicap at this C&D 14 days ago, well on top finish. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 1755-11

(8)

Astro Jakk¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 85| CD

18/1

C&D winner. 2 wins from 5 runs this year. 13½ lengths ninth of 10 to Exalted Angel in handicap (13/2) at this C&D 14 days ago. Latest effort best excused, so not one to rule out.

Form: 8-16109

(10)

Machree¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: K Stott| T: D Carroll| OR: 80| BF| D

11/1

Latest win at Thirsk in July. 4/1, respectable fifth of 11 in handicap at Wolverhampton (5.1f) 10 days ago, having run of race. Should remain competitive.

Form: 517225

(2)

Dark Shot^b¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-10| J: B A Curtis| T: S Dixon| OR: 79| CD

11/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Leicester in September. Eighth of 10 in handicap at Catterick (5f, heavy, 17/2) 12 days ago. Needs to do more.

Form: 121958

(5)

Thegreatestshowman⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: George Wood| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 78| D

16/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2019. 11/2, respectable third of 9 in handicap at Bath (5f, firm) 45 days ago, unsuited by way race developed. Makes fibresand debut.

Form: 330453

(12)

Aleef¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: K Frost| OR: 77| CD

100/1

C&D winner. 28/1, 13½ lengths last of 10 to Exalted Angel in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago. Has work to do.

Form: 147000

(4)

King Of Stars^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 77| CD

5/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, career best when winning 7-runner maiden (13/8) at this C&D 14 days ago, keeping on well. Should go well again.

Form: 273261

(11)

Oeil De Tigre¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 8-6| J: Mollie Phillips⁽⁷⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 75| D

200/1

80/1, tenth of 14 in handicap at Goodwood (6f, heavy) 18 days ago. Must improve.

Form: 1347-70

(3)

Birkenhead^p,t⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: Hollie Doyle| T: J L Eyre| OR: 72| D

10/1

Fifteenth of 16 in handicap at Beverley (5f, good to soft, 16/1) 63 days ago. Makes fibresand debut. Others are more appealing.

Form: 350250

(9)

Samovar^b¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-2| J: Jamie Gormley| T: S Dixon| OR: 71| CD

16/1

4-time C&D winner. Fourteen runs since last win in 2019. 5/1, below form 6½ lengths fourth of 10 to Exalted Angel in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago. Others preferred.

Form: 239444

(6)

Crosse Fire^b¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 8-2| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Dixon| OR: 70| CD

14/1

8-time C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2019. 8/1, respectable 4¼ lengths third of 10 to Exalted Angel in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago. Respected.

Form: 708023

Forecasts

Exalted Angel (10/11), King Of Stars (5/1), Birkenhead (10/1), Dark Shot (11/1), Machree (11/1), Crosse Fire (14/1), Thegreatestshowman (16/1), Samovar (16/1), Astro Jakk (18/1), Katheefa (33/1), Aleef (100/1), Oeil De Tigre (200/1)

EXALTED ANGEL clearly relishes this surface and was firmly on top when landing a 10-runner event over C&D a fortnight ago, so it's difficult to look beyond him in his hat-trick bid. King Of Stars arrives on the back of a winning fibresand debut, so he could lay down the most serious challenge.