Southwell best bets: Hopes high for Zephlyn to maintain impressive form

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

 

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