Long-shot Bell’s Ocean a risk worth taking at Southwell
When searching for winners at Southwell it is crucial that your selection takes to the unique fibre-sand surface. Many horses have come unstuck at the Nottinghamshire based course, and trainers will always be wary about whether their runners’ will enjoy the testing conditions.
Course specialists are on the agenda for today, and despite trying to get away from a horse who is trading around the three figure mark, the filly has a 100% strike rate at Southwell and it may represent a sneaky bit of value.
Bell’s Ocean in the valuable Got The Feeling! Get To Ladbrokes Handicap, officially, has thirty pounds to find in the weights, and is out of the handicap by nearly two stone, but as mentioned, has had one visit to the course and won in pretty convincing fashion. The official margin only reads a neck, but she and the second, Master of Song (unlucky loser at Doncaster next time out), pulled six lengths clear of a well strung out field, and she shaped like a typical Southwell type horse by plugging on under pressure from a long way out. She is an experienced filly with 29 runs to her name already, and will not fazed by the occasion – this is probably not one for the life savings, as there are some powerful stables in opposition, but there will be worse long shots than this, and the risk reward scenario is very much in the punters favour.
Returning to the land of normality, another horse who will relish the conditions at Southwell will be Captain Dunne, who is also one from one at the track. The 104-rated Tim Easterby runner is a model of consistency for his yard and has picked up nearly £100,000 in prize money. He runs in the Dave Morgan Memorial Conditions Stakes today and can repeat his 3 length success at this track in 2008.
At Leicester the heavy conditions may produce some upsets on the card, and apart from banker Picture Editor in the Ladbrokes.com Squirrel Conditions Stakes, a couple of short-price favourites could be vulnerable. Sir Mark Prescott’s Baralaka looks to have strong claims in the Ladbrokes.com Quorn Handicap and Marsh Warbler for Tom Queally can get the better of the short-priced Flighty Frances in the Ladbrokes.com Stoat Selling Stakes.
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