While the jumping ticks over ahead of the Festival next week, fans of the Southwell Fibresand (and there must be a few more out there somewhere) will find themselves drawn towards the one-mile handicap at the Midlands track on Tuesday afternoon, which has a very fair claim to be the most competitive contest of the day under either code.
Alpha Tauri and Vivat Rex are non-runners, leaving 12 to go to post, but of those, no fewer than nine are previous winners over course and distance. The remaining three runners include a previous winner at this trip, a previous course winner at seven furlongs, and a lightly raced, in-form Fibresand debutant whose sire – Fastnet Rock – has a 24% strike-rate on the surface. None of them, in other words, can be ruled out with confidence.
But the depth in the race also helps to make a price for Shearian (3.30), who has found a new lease of life since joining Declan Carroll late last year. He arrived at the yard on a mark of 48 and his new trainer has made short work of exploiting it with a hat-trick of victories, the most recent of those off 64.
At the age of seven and with more than 50 starts behind him, Shearian is unlikely to be improving significantly, but he was value for much more than the eventual margin of two lengths last time out and recorded an impressive timefigure despite being eased in the closing stages. He is up another 9lb in the weights today, but it should not be enough to stop him completing a four-timer.
Elsewhere on the Southwell card, Bridey’s Lettuce (2.30) is worth backing to return to form on Fibresand after a disappointing run at Newcastle last time out, while in the opener, Crosse Fire is handicapped to win by half the length of the straight but almost certain to lose as much ground with a trademark slow start. Treaty Of Rome (2.00) makes more appeal as a result.
Over the jumps, Two Smokin Barrels (3.40) may be able to bounce back to winning form at Newcastle after a short break, while Oishin (3.10) is a fair price for the handicap hurdle on the same card. Short prices may prevail in the single-figure fields at Exeter, where Lower Hope Dandy (3.50) and Baccalaureate (4.20) make most appeal.
Greg Wood’s Tuesday tips
Exeter 2.20 Midnight Request 2.50 Carnspindle 3.20 Gustav 3.50 Lower Hope Dandy 4.20 Baccalaureate 4.50 Mister Big
Newcastle 2.10 Airpur Desbois 2.40 Plus Jamais 3.10 Oishin 3.40 Two Smokin Barrels (nb) 4.10 Midnight Moss 4.40 Le Frank
Southwell 2.00 Treaty Of Rome 2.30 Bridey’s Lettuce 3.00 Pinwood 3.30 Shearian (nap) 4.00 Tasaaboq 4.30 Wimboldsley
