Southwell

16:15

Runners: 8 Distance: 1m 4f 14y Handicap Going: Standard

Form
EW Places: 1/5 ODDS - 3 PLACES

Verdict: Fitness may be key so the vote goes to ORCHARD KEEPER who made an encouraging return when third at Leicester this month.

Overture

Jockey: L Morris Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott Age/Wt: 4/10-0 F: 111- OR: 88

10/3

Comment: Improved plenty as she went up in trip last year, rattling off a four-timer over 1m2f-11.5f, including a win here (1m3f); returns from seven months off and is now 28lb higher than when the sequence began, but there is no telling how much she still has left; market revealing.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
18/09/24	Yarmouth / Handicap / F	4	1 / 10	7/2	81
30/08/24	Southwell / Handicap / F	5	1 / 4	11/8	70
20/08/24	Nottingham / Handicap / F	6	1 / 4	5/4	64
08/08/24	Yarmouth / Handicap / F	6	1 / 5	9/4	60
26/07/24	Chepstow / Handicap / F	6	3 / 6	2/1	61
10/07/24	Kempton / Handicap / F	6	5 / 8	5/2	63

Russian Crescendo

Jockey: Tom Marquand Trainer: W J Haggas Age/Wt: 4/9-10 F: 411- OR: 84

7/2

Comment: Progressive in three novices last year, winning at Kempton (1m4f, Polytrack) in September and under a penalty at Ascot (1m4f, soft) the following month; makes her handicap debut after seven months off and, like many of these, the market should indicate what is expected.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
04/10/24	Ascot / Unknown / F	3	1 / 6	3/1	-
04/09/24	Kempton / Unknown / F	5	1 / 8	5/2	-
04/07/24	Kempton / Unknown / F	5	4 / 9	5/1	-

Pique'

Jockey: Jack Doughty Trainer: J R Fanshawe Age/Wt: 4/9-11 F: 22221- OR: 85

4/1

Comment: Record in handicaps last year read 5122221; beaten a neck by Overture at Yarmouth (11.5f, good to firm) in September, but a rise for her subsequent Nottingham success (1m6f, heavy) means she is 1lb worse off; handles Tapeta and still considered, especially if market is positive after 200 days off.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
09/10/24	Nottingham / Handicap / F	4	1 / 6	15/8	80
18/09/24	Yarmouth / Handicap / F	4	2 / 10	4/1	77
10/08/24	Newmarket (July) / Handicap / F	5	2 / 6	13/8	77
20/07/24	Doncaster / Handicap / F	5	2 / 6	7/2	76
20/06/24	Wolverhampton / Handicap / F	5	2 / 5	9/4	73
27/05/24	Leicester / Handicap / F	5	1 / 6	15/2	69

Orchard Keeper

Jockey: S De Sousa Trainer: R Varian Age/Wt: 4/9-3 F: 1423-3 OR: 77

5/1

Comment: Consistent since her successful handicap debut at Newmarket (1m2f, good to firm) last summer; finished about 3l behind Overture and Pique' at Yarmouth (11.5f, good to firm) in September, but is 7lb and 8lb better off with the pair respectively; made an encouraging return when third of ten at Leicester (1m4f, good to firm) this month; respected.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
04/04/25	Leicester / Handicap / F	4	3 / 10	7/2	77
18/09/24	Yarmouth / Handicap / F	4	3 / 10	4/1	77
02/08/24	Newmarket (July) / Handicap / F	5	2 / 7	3/1	75
13/07/24	Salisbury / Handicap / F	4	4 / 7	11/2	75
28/06/24	Newmarket (July) / Handicap / F	5	1 / 5	10/3	71
29/02/24	Chelmsford / Unknown / F	5	2 / 7	9/2	-

Crystal Flyer

Jockey: S M Levey Trainer: T Ward Age/Wt: 4/10-2 F: 16212- OR: 90

8/1

Comment: Both wins came on good ground at Goodwood (1m2f/1m4f) last year and she chased home a dual subsequent winner in a four-runner contest there (1m6f, heavy) on final outing; market instructive back from seven months off.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
25/09/24	Goodwood / Handicap / F	3	2 / 4	10/3	88
23/08/24	Goodwood / Handicap / F	4	1 / 5	9/4	84
12/07/24	Ascot / Handicap / F	3	2 / 9	7/1	83
15/06/24	Sandown / Handicap / F	3	6 / 7	9/1	84
25/05/24	Goodwood / Unknown / F	2	1 / 10	5/2	-
26/04/24	Sandown / Unknown / F	2	4 / 8	28/1	-

Lady La Fay

Jockey: S H James Trainer: K R Burke Age/Wt: 4/9-9 F: 2413-4 OR: 83

10/1

Comment: Bolted up by 8l in an uncompetitive Ripon novice (1m4f, soft) last September but her form doesn't match up to a few of these; she does hold a fitness advantage, though, having finished a creditable fourth of nine in a Thirsk handicap (1m4f, good) 15 days ago; two of her siblings and her dam won on the AW.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
12/04/25	Thirsk / Handicap / F	3	4 / 9	13/2	84
25/10/24	Newbury / Handicap / F	4	3 / 10	10/3	84
28/09/24	Ripon / Unknown / F	5	1 / 6	15/8	79
25/07/24	Doncaster / Unknown / F	2	4 / 7	7/2	80
06/07/24	Carlisle / Unknown / F	5	2 / 7	7/1	-
06/06/24	Haydock / Unknown / F	4	4 / 13	40/1	-

Loving Look

Jockey: Rob Hornby Trainer: H Morrison Age/Wt: 4/9-8 F: 21331- OR: 82

12/1

Comment: Proved consistent last year, including wins in a Kempton novice (1m4f, Polytrack) and a four-runner Newmarket handicap (1m2f, good); returns after six months off from a 5lb higher mark; worth a market check.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
01/11/24	Newmarket / Handicap / F	3	1 / 4	2/1	77
16/10/24	Kempton / Handicap / F	5	3 / 10	11/8	77
20/09/24	Newbury / Handicap / F	4	3 / 9	13/2	77
21/08/24	Kempton / Unknown / F	4	1 / 7	4/1	77
30/07/24	Ffos Las / Unknown / F	5	2 / 5	5/4	77
25/05/24	Goodwood / Unknown / F	2	5 / 10	17/2	-

Pretending

Jockey: S D Bowen Trainer: L Wadham Age/Wt: 6/9-5 F: 0/152/ OR: 79

14/1

Comment: Her two best runs for Sir Mark Prescott came on Tapeta, including a win over 1m3f here; has since developed into a useful hurdler for this yard (three wins) and fitness is not an issue, but she looks vulnerable to a group of unexposed 4yos now back on the Flat.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
17/04/25	Cheltenham / Handicap / H	2	3 / 16	13/2	117
01/03/25	Doncaster / Handicap / H	2	P / 7	7/2	119
19/01/25	Fakenham / Handicap / H	3	4 / 10	11/4	118
01/01/25	Southwell / Handicap / H	2	5 / 8	9/1	120
14/12/24	Cheltenham / Handicap / H	2	8 / 12	7/2	122
09/11/24	Wincanton / Handicap / H	2	5 / 12	11/4	122

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