Yesterday’s Review

1pt win Caffu Zafeen (107) – A career best performance from the selection, who wasn’t the best away from the stalls, but was soon racing prominently at a strong pace. He raced keenly early on, but was always travelling best of the field, and built up a decent lead when going clear over two furlongs from home. A length and a quarter was the margin of victory at the line and there should be another win in him going forward. Result 1st 4/1 adv…100/30 SP.

Today’s Advice

NOLTON CROSS (12f Hcap) – This Hugo Palmer trained seven-year-old has been working himself into form lately since returning from a near two year absence when winning back in February. He had been performing with credit in much better company than today’s in the spring from an 8lb higher handicap mark when filling fourth place behind both Whitcombe Rockstar and Paradias at Kempton and Lingfield. He failed to get his head in front this season on turf but has performed well on the clock in his last two starts on the all-weather. a quick turnaround following a near two month break probably didn’t see him at his best last time out over 12f at Wolverhampton when failing to give an improving Andrew Balding trained three-year-old nearly a stone but he kept on well to the line and connections have gone for cheekpieces to sharpen him up for today’s (2.53) Southwell. A past course and distance winner another solid performance looks likely.

MODERN TIMES (6f Hcap) – Trainer James Owen has shown on many occasions that he is a bit of a wizard when it comes to transforming other trainer’s horses, and he has already shown that with the selection. Formerly trained by Time Easterby this five-year-old was rated 10lb higher in the handicap when he won first-time out for his new stable over course and distance back in July. A career best (109) timefigure was recorded next time out at Epsom over 6f and following a tame effort in a visor, back at tonight’s course and distance, much better was shown last time out over 6f at Kempton when reverting to his favoured tongue tie and cheekpieces. Returning from a 48 day break the selection raced in rear and despite not getting the clearest of runs kept on all the way to the line to record another solid performance on the clock coming home in 5th place beaten 2.75 lengths.

Tonight’s (6.00) Southwell looks to have a healthy amount of pace signed on, and with apprentice Mason Paetel taking off a handy 3lb, the race should set up nicely for the son of Too Darn Hot. He still looks nicely treated off his current handicap mark and there should be another win in him sooner rather than later.

0.75pt e/way Nolton Cross (5/1 general) 2.53 Southwell

1pt win Modern Times (11/4 general) 6.00 Southwell