Southwell best bet: Valsad can hit ground running on season and stable debut
Southwell racecourse
Easily the most interesting runner in this contest is the top weight, Valsad, on his first run for Jamie Osborne following a move from Harry and Roger Charlton last month.
18:30 Southwell: Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap (1 mile 3 furlongs)
The five-year-old will be appearing fresh from a three-month break and this looks a good time to catch him because he produced one of his two career-best performances when he was fresh from a 105-day break last August.
On that occasion, Valsad ran a very close second of 13 in a 12-furlong handicap at Newbury, a race in which the front pair (the narrow winner was a lightly-raced three-year-old) pulled almost four lengths clear of the rest of the field, who were headed by the race favourite.
Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Tenerife Sunshine wins, get a £5 Free Bet
Following that highly encouraging return to action, he produced a career-best performance the following month to win a higher-graded Class 2 handicap over 12 furlongs at today’s venue.
It was a very strong 0-106 handicap in which 9 of his 11 opponents were rated between 90-106, which compares very favourably with today’s 74-89 opposition.
Valsad ran off a mark of 87 and he won more comfortably than his winning margin (three quarters of a length) might suggest, so he looks a good bet back here for the first time since, especially as he comes here fresher than most of his rivals, only one of whom has ever won here before.
Suggested bet: Valsad in the 18:30 at Southwell
- Tip advised by Steve Jones who runs CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr
Of the others, Qaasid also arrives fresh and significantly he won first-time back from his previous break over this course and distance, just before Christmas 2022.
Since then, the six-year-old has confirmed his liking for a tapeta surface, recording figures of 1232 from his four previous visits to Newcastle.
The latest of those saw him finish runner-up of eight in a Class 3 handicap over ten furlongs, which has roughly the same stamina requirements as 11 furlongs around here, due to Newcastle’s stiff, uphill climb to the line.
Next Best bet: Qaasid in the 18:30 at Southwel
READ MORE: Southwell racing tips: Best bets for Thursday January 18
