Fairlight Studios Cafe At Sedgefield Racecourse Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:45 | Winning time: 3m 57.26s

Close House¹⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: C Grant

11/8

€11,500 3-y-o, Wings of Eagles gelding who made an encouraging start to his career when third of 9 in heavy-ground bumper at Ayr (2m) on sole outing for A. Slattery in April. That is a traditionally a strong race and he sets a clear standard.

Form: 3-

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Red Shea⁵⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr H C Swan| T: Cian Hughes

8/11

Crystal Ocean gelding. Half-brother to 4 winners, including useful chaser Annie Angel. Produced a promising first effort when second of 17 at Cork (2¼m, good to soft) in August, albeit no match for the winner. Faces a sharper test here but claims if coping with it.

Form: 2

Rescheduled

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr

16/1

Postponed gelding. Dam (b79), ran once in bumper, half-sister to useful hurdler (stayed 2¾m) Babbling Stream.

Form:

Non-Runners

Lower De Couely¹⁴⁴

Weight: 10-9| Age: 5

T: O Greenall & J Guerriero J: Jack Tudor

Forecasts

Red Shea (8/11), Close House (11/8), Lower De Couely (9/4), Rescheduled (16/1)

CLOSE HOUSE showed plenty in what is usually a warm race at Ayr back in the spring and is a straightforward choice to get off the mark at the second time of asking. Red Shea was no match for a useful prospect at Cork last month but kept on to pull clear of the remainder and should at least give the selection something to think about if coping with the sharper test. Lower De Couely, an easy winner on her sole outing in Irish points, shouldn't be overlooked in the betting, either.