Today's Tote Placepot Tips for Southwell

Leg 1 Selections: Gunnerside, Ramdon Rocks, Mehmo

An extremely competitive opener to start proceedings, so I am covering all bases with three in this. Grant Tuer has his only runner on the card - GUNNERSIDE, who is 12Ib below his last winning mark and would have huge claims if able to get back to that sort of form here. His latest seventh at Wolverhampton was encouraging, so he is first on my shortlist worthy of inclusion.

RAMDON ROCKS ran well when second last time and has a good chance with a similar effort here with a claimer booked to ride, who takes off 7Ib. MEHMO is 10Ib lower than when scoring at Nottingham, which was his last success, and hasn’t been beaten far the last couple of times to suggest an even bigger performance could be on the cards. 

Leg 2 Selections: Visitant, Bond Spirit

A difficult race for leg two but VISITANT should have a say in the outcome if able to reproduce his latest second at Newcastle when only marginally denied by a short-head. He remains on the exact same mark for this race and Connor Beasley, who rode him last time, stays in the saddle. The ten-year-old merits consideration on these favourable terms, as he undoubtedly has the capabilities to win this from this mark. 

Of the remainder, BOND SPIRIT has improved with each start and would have finished closer last time without being impeded when asked for his effort. He stayed on strongly when in the clear to finish third though and the four-year-old has surprisingly dropped a couple of pounds in the handicap, which is essential. He is drawn effectively in stall two as well, so with more to come, he has to be taken seriously in this grade.  

Leg 3 Selections: Albion Princess 

In leg three, this could go to the in-form ALBION PRINCESS, who won two of her five starts last year and overcame traffic difficulties to win with quite a bit in hand when last spotted. Roger Charlton’s filly is clearly going the right way and has only been nudged to a pound for that success, which appears to be lenient. She remains ahead of the handicapper and gets the vote to supplement her latest career-best performance by taking the spoils in leg three. 

Leg 4 Selections: Spirit Of Nguru, Tiger Crusade

SPIRIT OF NGURU has some really strong form in the book and ran an excellent race when second at Wolverhampton last-time-out. He is only a pound higher for this race plus the cheekpieces are applied, which could bring about further improvement. His trainer is in great form and whilst stall 9 can make life tricky, he should be thereabouts at the business end of this race in leg four. 

TIGER CRUSADE was well beaten when last seen but he is a lot better than that and is 4Ib lower than when last successful, which came in a higher graded event. He should be well-suited to this race and the return to this distance. If this six-year-old can return to something near his best, he would have a good chance of winning this race from this mark. He is the second choice in leg four. 

Leg 5 Selections: Zealot, Dingle

None of the quintet can be ruled out but it’s hard to look past the bang in-form ZEALOT, who has been on a roll of late, winning his last three and won four of his seven starts last year. It was a career-best performance when winning over track and trip last time, overcoming unfavourable position bias and Mick Appleby’s charge is fancied to complete the four-timer here with probably even more to come. 

DINGLE will take a markedly big drop in grade and is 7Ib below his last winning mark, so he would have a sound chance if able to rediscover his best form on stable debut in this race. If the favourite fails to complete the four-timer, he might be the one to cash-in on a career-low mark in a class four event. He isn’t out of this by any means on his return with Graham Lee in the saddle. 

Leg 6 Selections: Sociologist, Bird For Life 

Leg six is another tricky race on this evening’s card. SOCIOLOGIST, however, is 11Ib below his last winning mark and has won here off an 8Ib higher mark as well. Scott Dixon’s eight-year-old has an excellent record at this course, is drawn well in stall 7 and has Elisha Whittington in the saddle, who offsets 7Ib to help matters too. He must have at least place possibilities in this race off a career-low mark. 

BIRD FOR LIFE normally runs her race and she has been in good form of late, winning three of her last five starts and came within half-a-length of scoring last time when second. She remains three-pounds above her last winning mark but she is proven over this trip, she is granted a good slot in stall 1 and has to warrant respect in a race where a strong pace can only increase her chances.