THE ADVISOR - Southwell 5.05 Handicap Hurdle - Class 4 - 3 miles 60 yards - Good to Soft - 12 run

 

A number in here with chances but with the Going almost certain to turn soft there are a couple that stand out.

 

Kingsfort Hill for the Skelton team would have been a strong contender for a "win saver" on Good to Soft and may well still be the one they all have to beat but with rain about I'm happy to take it on. Freethinker has had a year off and will surely need the run. Barony Legends is upped in trip but did run in a 3 mile P2P as a young horse and was tried quite early on over 3 miles so would represent the biggest danger to my 2 selections and would be my nominated reserve IF there is a non runner amongst the picks.

 

Arctic Breeze may improve on these conditions based on some Irish form and worth watching, Rocco won a Class 1 Chase at Wincanton back in late 2021 that looks more like a fluke of all flukes by the race since but surely it has to find a level soon or be retired. Gentleman Valley ran well last season but needed a return run and rain would not be in its favour. Langley Hundred is another who would prefer a better surface on known form, bits of which are quite decent.

 

The pair who stand out for me are MY GIRL LOLIPOP who was an eyecatcher upped to an extended 3 miles last time and all of its best form prior to that were in softer conditions. At a big price and with the capable assistance of the criminally under-used Bryony Frost is KADEX who has won on heavy going in France and whose best UK run was over this trip at Doncaster off an identical mark to today.

 

TIPS (1) My Girl Lolipop / (2) Kadex