Wednesday 28th August 2013

Beach Rhythm won handy yesterday and should continue to hold his own and perhaps improve in sprint handicaps, particularly on fibresand.

Four interests at Southwell this evening.

5.20 Southwell She Can Jig 4pts win @ 5/2 (Generally, get guaranteed)

She Can Jig won impressively in the end last time out and looks a scopey, strong filly who is just coming to herself. Sire Dutch Art's progeny have a 22% strike rate at this track and I think the step up to six furlongs will suit her well. The 7lb claim of Kevin Stott is daylight robbery at this stage and with a good draw in stall five, I actually thought the selection would be less than 2/1.

6.20 Southwell Maidana 3pts win @ 11/2 (Generally, get guaranteed)

A brutal poor maiden, but there is some hope from Maidana's pedigree that she will enjoy this surface and she looked a well made filly on debut at Ripon. The Racing Post doesn't tell you she got a really bad bump at the start of that race and in fairness to Gary Mahon, the 7lb claimer who rode her, she was looked after with kid gloves and will ultimately have enjoyed the experience. She travelled well enough to a point but the bump probably done for her and I would hope that, in a contest she should be able to win if ready, she has come on enough for that initial racecourse experience to show what she can do this evening.

6.50 Southwell First In Command 1pt each-way AND 1pt win @ 14/1 (Coral, guaranteed, 12/1 generally guaranteed) - WON

I think you want to be drawn low enough here and there is plenty of pace around the selection with Pull The Pin and Clubland drawn nearby. The selection is a triple course winner and has been in decent form although handicapped out of it slightly this summer. He has dropped to a mark of OR76 now, though, which I'd say is just about surmountable given that he gets ideal conditions this evening. With question marks about a few of these he makes plenty of appeal at a double figure price.

7.50 Southwell Imperial Bond 1pt each-way AND 1pt win @ 16/1 (Generally, get guaranteed)

Jason Ward does well with sweetening up these lower grade fillies, and his horses also have a good record at Southwell. The selection probably ran her best race yet at Newcastle last time and done all her best work at the finish. This looks a poor enough contest apart from the favourite, with many of the usual suspects lining up, and there isn't anything in the field that looks progressive. Imperial Bond just might be, and although she has never raced here, she is another whose pedigree offers some hope of her handling the surface. At 16/1, she is worth playing to small stakes.

Profit & loss: day: +21.50 / month: +119.00 / year: +252.19