held up in touch, ridden to chase leaders over 2f out, kept on same pace and no impression final furlong
with leader, led over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened
led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
pulled hard, prominent, ridden to challenge 2f out, hard ridden to lead over 1f out, soon headed, kept on
prominent, ridden over 2f out, led 1f out, ridden clear inside
held up, ridden and headway over 2f out, one pace and no impression, final 2f
Yankeedoodledandy gets the nod here ahead of Brother Cadfael, Lady Mo and Could She Be Magic. The selection ran a fair race when fourth to Bold Blade over course and distance in December and followed up with a win at Wolverhampton. Following a fair effort at Lingfield last time, he returns to Southwell and really ought to be strongly competitive at this level. The Pat Haslam stable also runs Two Of Clubs. He is improving and, racing in handicap company for the first time, could be interesting. He also steps up to a mile for the first time. The initial instinct is to say that, because he is out if a fast mare, that it will be interesting to see how he goes at today's trip. It could be that he would be an interesting propositon once handicapped after this race and then dropped back in trip. La Puce has never raced on this surface although he did win over five furlongs at Wolverhampton as a two-year-old. Could She Be Magic came good here over seven furlongs in a seller last time. That wasn't a great race and she'll need to improve again, although that remains a possibilty as she has looked green in a number of her races to date. Ldy Mo ran a solid race when third at Lingfield last, and was running on well at the finish. Raised just a pound for that run, she can go well if taking to the Southwell surface on her first try. Brother Cadfael is interesting in that, if you take literal formlines involving, principally, Myannabanana, then he has the ebating of the selection, if you disregard the selection's rider's useful seven-pound claim. On this occasion, though, we'll go against the formbook and side with Yankeedoodledandy.