Southwell best bets: Hopes high for Zephlyn to maintain impressive form
Southwell racecourse
If it's true that good things are worth waiting for, then we’re hoping that our selections in the last race of Thursday evening’s all-weather meeting at Southwell can send race-goers home happy.
20:30 Southwell: Alway Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap (2 miles 102 yards)
With seven of the dozen starters priced at 20/1 or higher, it’s tempting to look for some each-way value here, especially with four places so readily available.
However, it’s hard to make a serious case for many of them, although top-weight Shadowfax might just be flying beneath the bookies’ radar on his reappearance from a 15-week break.
Outsider punt: Shadowfax in the 20:30 at Southwell
Prior to that, Michael Appleby’s five-year-old had put together a decent sequence of results at Chelmsford, with a couple of near misses crowned by a hard-earned slender win in early November.
A couple of less impressive performances followed at this venue, but he returns to the Nottinghamshire track with his winning jockey Frederick Larsson bringing his three-pound claim back to the saddle, and he might just be able to defy his huge odds as he steps up to this extended two-mile trip.
More realistic prospects can be found at the top end of the betting, where Young Endless is the only starter with a last-time-out win under his belt and he should be in the mix again in the capable hands of Rossa Ryan.
Early favourite Ney was a course-distance winner on his penultimate outing, an impressive three-length success that came in the midst of three third-placed finishes, but our final nod goes to Zephlyn from the in-form yard of Ewan Whillans.
Planet Sport Bet Daily Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Ney wins by more than 2 lengths, get a £5 Free Bet
A third place at Newcastle in early January was followed up later the same month with a four-length romp in a 0-65 handicap at the same venue.
Although winless in two outings since, both resulted in decent runner-up performances, one of which was over this very course and distance.
This 0-58 handicap is a lower rating than any of those four previous events this year, and with usual jockey Jason Hart bringing his dependable presence to the saddle, we can expect the five-year-old to give us another decent run for our money here.
Suggested best bet: Zephlyn in the 20:30 at Southwell
- Tip advised by OPAL Horses on Tipstrr
READ MORE: Southwell racing tips: Best bets for Thursday March 21
