Sam King is back with four selections on Thursday.
The Racing League is back at Southwell this evening and while it's not everybody's cup of tea, you cannot deny it produces some competitive handicaps.
A quick scan down at my tracker this morning revealed a trio of horses that were of stern interest this evening, albeit one of those is oddly tackling an artificial surface for the first time as a five-year-old.
Step forward Mysteryofthesands, who bids to get back to winning ways in the mile handicap at 7.45. A four-time winner on the turf from 24 career outings, it's somewhat surprising that Tim Easterby's charge has yet to taste any form of all-weather surface.
There's no reason to suggest that he shouldn't handle it in his pedigree, so I'm happy to put it down to chance and circumstances other than anything else.
You only have to watch the last three furlongs of his latest Haydock run to know how this fella worked his way into the tracker. Having reared and missed the break coming out the gates, Mysteryofthesands did well to work his way back into contention down the Haydock straight, only to have his path blocked on numerous occasions.
He ran on well once in the clear in the final 110 yards, but it was all too late and connections will surely be eyeing some form redemption with their gelded son of Footstepsinthesand, who must have every chance off an unchanged mark of 79 if getting a good pace to aim at.
1pt Win – Mysteryofthesands
Odds – 9/1
Earlier on the card, Philanthropist can strike for in-form trainer James Fanshawe in the seven-furlong handicap at 6.15.
A two-time winner from three all-weather starts, Philanthropist attracted plenty of market support prior to finish third over course and distance eleven days ago and he looked a touch unlucky not to reward his supporters.
Having travelled strongly into contention at the two-furlong marker, James Fanshawe's gelded son of Sergei Prokofiev suffered interference a furlong out and while he still had every chance to go past late on if good enough, there's no doubt it inconvenienced his winning opportunity.
Seven furlongs on an all-weather surface looks to be his bread and butter as such, so it's no shock to see him head the market in this competitive affair this evening. He still has the ability and profile to rate higher under these conditions and from a good draw in stall two, he can score off a rating of 84 before his 2lb nudge up the weights kicks in.
1pt Win – Philanthropist
Odds – 10/3
The third horse that worked his way into my tracker following a sound decent effort is Fantasy Believer, who looks to hold huge claims in the one-mile three-furlong handicap at 8.15.
The progressive Crowd Quake has won four of his last five starts and will likely prove popular once more, but he's now 5lb higher for winning at Chepstow last time out and might face opposition for the lead.
With that in mind, this could set up nicely for Fantasy Believer, who finished off nicely when a pleasing third behind Crowd Quake in that Chepstow handicap last time out.
Ed Walker's charge is now 5lb better off at the weights and will be suited by the return to this track having won the same contest off a 3lb lower mark twelve months ago.
1pt Win – Fantasy Believer
Odds – 5/1
Our final wager from Southwell this evening comes in the opener, where I'm hopeful that the bottom weight Say What You See can make the most of the opportunity before his 4lb higher mark kicks in.
I strongly suspect that Liam Bailey's charge bumped into a well-above average type in the shape of George Scott's Bragbor in last week's ten-furlong Racing League handicap at Newcastle. The winner arrived with course experience and an unexposed profile, so it was a performance full of promise by Say What You See, who also surrendered the often favoured near side rail.
The booking of William Pyle technically makes him 3lb lower here and with Richard Hughes' unexposed Criminal declared a late non-runner, Say What You See should have every chance of making amends.
1pt Win - Say What You See
Odds – 7/2
