12:20 Southwell

The Caroline Bailey trained LORD SPARKY (best priced at 4-1) was only beaten ½ length over this course and distance in November and a repeat of that effort should be enough to win this. That contest was a 0-110 where he pulled 15 lengths clear of the third and the form of that run has been boosted by the winner Mozzaro winning again since and is now rated 7lbs higher.

The handicapper has raised Lord Sparky only 2lbs up to a mark of 103 for a success at Huntingdon last time so he should prove hard to beat in this 0-105 handicap if he can cope with this drop back down to 2m4f from 3 miles.

Lord Sparky - 0.5pts e/w @ 4/1

15:00 Musselburgh

The Olly Murphy trained EAGLEHILL (best priced at 9-4) took his record to 3/5 over fences when he won at Fakenham on his reappearance and he should hold strong claims here off only 2lbs higher. The eight-year-old went into my tracker as a novice hurdler when he had a couple of eyecatching runs over 2m4f but this winning point to pointer always had the look of a staying chaser.

Eaglehill has won off marks of 108, 115 and 121 over fences so it is clear that he is progressing well and should prove hard to beat despite a career high mark of 123.

Eaglehill - 1pt @ 9/4

15:20 Southwell

HURRICANE MITCH (best priced at 7-1) is a lightly raced seven-year-old who should run well here following an eyecatching reappearance run last time. He was making his handicap debut after 351 days off the track and travelled well into the 2m7f contest that day before weakening into 7th late on. He had a wind operation prior to that run and often it is the second run after a wind op when you see the benefit on the track.

Connections now fit Hurricane Mitch with first time cheekpieces for this race and also drop him in trip down to 2m4f which looks perfect for him and I expect him to run well with Lorcan Murtagh retaining the ride off a 3lb lower mark and down in class.

Hurricane Mitch - 0.5pts e/w @ 7/1