19:00 Southwell

Saturday 5 March 2022

All17:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Read Ross O'Sullivan On Betway Insider Handicap

Off time: 19:01 | Winning time: 3m 38.89s

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Selected odds by:

(10)

Blazon^p¹²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-9| J: David Probert| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 69| D

25/1

Landed back-to-back Wolverhampton handicaps (16.5f) last summer and not entirely disgraced when sixth in 9-runner affair at Kempton in October. Absent since but he has gone well fresh previously.

Form: 536116-

(5)

Deluxe Music²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 68

15/2

12/1, creditable second of 7 in handicap at this course (14.1f) 20 days ago, headed over 2f out and one paced. Worth another crack at this longer trip on balance.

Form: 3722-42

(6)

Niblawi¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 9-8| J: Charlie Bennett| T: A West| OR: 68

25/1

Creditable display when third in a C&D handicap in January and still close up when falling 3 out over hurdles at Plumpton (20.5f) 3 weeks ago. Losing run a concern but certainly worth a look here.

Form: 39554-3

(3)

Man Of Riddles⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: D M Simcock| OR: 71| BF

9/4

AW novice winner (12.2f) who wasn't seen to best effect wen third over this trip at Chelmsford (2m) in January, rapid progress before halfway and fading late. Remains unexposed as a stayer.

Form: 67583-3

(2)

Prince Abu^h²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Cam Hardie| T: D Shaw| OR: 66| BF| CD

3/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Kempton (2m) in February. 11/10, creditable third of 8 in handicap at this course (18.4f) 22 days ago, despite the modest gallop not suiting. Expected to be in the mix again.

Form: 31-2113

(1)

Gerrots²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: D C Costello| T: H J Evans| OR: 69

18/1

Good second of 8 in handicap at this course (12.1f, 14/1) 25 days ago, staying on to retake second on line. Remains low-mileage and worth a crack at this longer trip.

Form: 0/24-482

(9)

Kitten's Dream^b¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Phil Dennis| T: S Dixon| OR: 60

9/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2020. 10/1 and blinkered for 1st time, creditable second of 12 in handicap at this course (14.1f) 11 days ago, sticking to task. Fancied to go well again.

Form: 0-99472

(4)

Hackberry^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Harry Russell⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 60| D

9/2

Good second of 9 in handicap (15/2) at Newcastle (16.2f) 18 days ago, headed near the line. Hard to knock recent efforts at this trip and another who ought to be in the shake up.

Form: 9805-32

(8)

Bird For Life^p¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-6| J: Laura Coughlan⁽⁵⁾| T: M D I Usher| OR: 52| D

11/1

Unreliable type. 25/1, seventh of 12 in handicap at this course (14.1f) 11 days ago, racing well off the pacmerely closing up late. Others make more appeal on balance.

Form: 909-727

Non-Runners

(11)

Kells²⁵

Weight: 9-10| Age: 5

T: A W Carroll J: A Mullen

(7)

Zuckerberg²⁴

Weight: 9-4| Age: 6

T: J Candlish J: Lewis Edmunds

Forecasts

Man Of Riddles (9/4), Prince Abu (3/1), Hackberry (9/2), Deluxe Music (15/2), Kitten's Dream (9/1), Kells (10/1), Bird For Life (11/1), Zuckerberg (14/1), Gerrots (18/1), Blazon (25/1), Niblawi (25/1)

A competitive handicap with the vote in favour of MAN OF RIDDLES. All the rage in the betting on return at Chelmsford (2m) in January, he arguably paid the price for a big mid-race move when fading late on. Still unexposed as a stayer, he's expected to go well. Prince Abu, Niblawi and Kitten's Dream head up the dangers.