Racecards
16:50 Southwell
32Red.com Handicap (Class 5)
- 7 Runners
- Distance: 1m 3f
- Going: Standard
- Surface: Fibresand
- £4,000 added
- Winner: £2,588
- 2nd: £770
- 3rd: £385
- 4th: £192
Nibani (IRE)
176- Form 053469-
- Age 6
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 74
tracked leaders, ridden halfway, weakened 4f out, soon behind, eased 3f out, tailed off
Monopoli
20- Form 02201-7
- Age 4
- Weight 9-1
- Official Rating 69
- Trainer D & C Kubler
- Jockey R Havlin
slowly away, keen early in touch, ridden halfway, weakened 3f out, eased 2f out, tailed off
- Form 115264
- Age 5
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer M C Chapman
- Jockey R Kennemore
dwelt keen held up, hampered over 8f out, soon pushed along, ridden 5f out, weakened 4f out, eased 2f out, tailed off
- Form 565264
- Age 9
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer A J McCabe
- Jockey J P Fahy
in rear, ridden over 4f out, headway over 3f out, not troubled leaders
Blades Lad
12- Form 19668-3
- Age 4
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 67
- Trainer P D Niven
- Jockey P Mulrennan
tracked leader, led over 2f out, ridden and idled over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, driven to lead again near finish
- Form 322678-
- Age 5
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 65
raced wide close up, ridden to chase leading pair over 2f out, kept on one pace
- Form 2112-46
- Age 6
- Weight 8-11
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer Mrs Marjorie Fife
- Jockey D Tudhope
led, ridden 5f out, headed over 2f out, every chance until led again inside final furlong, headed near finish
- Form 50-5888
- Age 6
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 63
Nonrunner
Verdict
The veteran Follow The Flag is one of only two previous course and distance winners but hasn't been at his best of late. Favorite Girl won over track and trip last year but is 5lb higher today while course winners Monzino and Royal Holiday will find today's distance far enough. Leicester winner Monopoli has decent claims if taking to the Fibresand but BLADES LAD looks a safer bet. He finished a creditable third on his debut at the track earlier this month and 7lb lower than when scoring at Ripon last season, Peter Niven's charge gets the nod.
Formwatch
Nibani (IRE) 40-1 (9-2) Started slowly, always behind, last of 9, 46l behind Shamir (9-8) at Kempton 1m hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Sep.
Monopoli 33-1 (8-7) Held up towards rear, driven 2f out, ridden and kept on same pace final furlong, never on terms, 7th of 8, 3 1/2l behind Hilali (8-13) at Kempton 1m 2f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Feb.
Monzino (USA) 25-1 (8-11) In touch in rear, headway halfway, outpaced over 3f out, rallied entering final furlong, kept on, 4th of 8, 4 1/2l behind Caledonia Prince (9-3) at Southwell 1m app hcp 0-75 (5) fbs in Feb.
Follow The Flag (IRE) 8-1 (9-4) In, rear, ridden over 3f out, headway under pressure approaching final furlong, never near leaders, 4th of 8, 14l behind Frontier Fighter (9-7) at Southwell 1m hacp 0-70 (5) fbs.
Blades Lad 16-1 (8-7) Held up towards rear, headway before 5f out, ridden before 1f out, kept on, 3rd of 7, 1 1/2l behind Dewala (9-6) at Southwell 1m 3f app hcp 0-75 (5) fbs.
Favorite Girl (GER) 5-1 (9-5) Dwelt mid-division, ridden and headway over 3f out, weakened over 1f out, 8th of 11, 25l behind Standpoint (9-7) at Southwell 1m 3f hacp 0-70 (5) fbs in Aug.
Royal Holiday (IRE) 5-1 (9-2) Pushed along to press winner, ridden halfway, weakened over 1f out, 6th of 10, 8l behind Bitaphon (8-9) at Southwell 7f hacp 0-70 (5) fbs in Feb.
St Ignatius 10-1 (9-7) Always in rear, behind final 3f, last of 8, 14l behind Attwaal (9-3) at Lingfield 1m 4f hacp 0-70 (5) pol.