The summer jumping season is firmly underway and Southwell hold a competitive six-race card on Tuesday, including a Novices’ Brush Hurdle Series Qualifier.
In the 2m4½f Class 4 Signsolutions.org Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Arc Summer Novices' Brush Hdl Series Qualifier) (3:55), Manimole is likely to be well-supported. She was beaten favourite when producing a messy round of jumping at Uttoxeter in a two mile novice hurdle last week and did well to hold on for second, despite making an error at the last. She overcame jumping right when scoring at Worcester previously but had struggled with the same issue on her previous two starts over longer distances.
With Manimole's haphazard jumping style in mind, preference is given to Harry Fry's Ma Belle Noire. She had shown some signs of temperament when swishing her tail a couple of times when second at Uttoxeter in June and had first-time blinkers applied (in addition to the tongue-tie) for her subsequent Market Rasen run. Ridden by Sean Bowen, the six-year-old mare produced a very straightforward display to win in good style by half-a-length, jumping well throughout. The new headgear combination remains on.
Sacchoandvanzetti makes his stable debut for the in-form Fergal O'Brien in the 2m Class 4 Vickers.Bet App Handicap Hurdle (4:25). The yard have sent out six winners in the past fortnight with a strike rate of 24% (6-24) and could find some improvement from this seven-year-old. Formerly trained by John Queally, the gelding produced a fair effort in a competitive handicap hurdle at Punchestown in April before finishing third at Killarney. He was thought good enough to compete at the Cheltenham Festival as a juvenile in 2020 (eleventh in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) and the change of yards may rejuvenate him.
A small field of five line up for the 2m4½f Class 4 Good Luck Dads Matt & Jack Handicap Chase (3:20) with Duke Of Luckley expected to produce a big effort for trainer Martin Keighley. The six-year-old returned after a three month break with a good third at this track over two miles, wearing a visor for the first time. The gelding raced prominently before taking the lead three out and appeared to not have the speed in the closing stages, finding no extra. The return to a longer distance is a positive and his record over fences is fair, with a win and two placings from six attempts.
Course and distance winner Al Zaraqaan may prove difficult to oppose in the 2m Class 3 Vickers.Bet App Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (2:45). The gelding has found a new lease of life since a move to the Sam England yard from Archie Watson and relished the switch to fences, with three wins from three runs over the bigger obstacles.
Trainer Jennie Candlish has been rewarded for her decision to campaign Basford over the summer, picking up two wins and two placings since mid-May. He can be competitive again in the 3m½f Class 5 Sponsorshipbranding@Signsolutions.org Novices' Handicap Hurdle (5:00) despite carrying top weight. The first-time visor seemed to eke out further improvement from the six-year-old when taking a Fontwellnovice hurdle by six lengths and he can uphold his strong form in another small field contest.
Track and trip form may play to the advantage of Methodtothemagic in the 2m4½f Class 5 Golf At Southwell Handicap Hurdle (5:30), having won by an impressive ten lengths in these conditions on his last outing when ridden by conditional Finn Lambert. A similar performance would put him firmly in the mix.
RACING & SPORTS SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – AL ZARAQAAN
RACE 2 – DUKE OF LUCKLEY
RACE 3 – MA BELLE NOIRE
RACE 4 – SACCHOANDVANZETTI
RACE 5 – BASFORD
RACE 6 - METHODTOTHEMAGIC
