For a change there are some interesting performers at today´s two all-weather meetings at Southwell and Wolverhampton, including some of the current stars of the winter scene, though none of them are likely to start at lucrative odds. At Southwell, Shadows Lengthen (Mick Easterby/ James Sullivan) is going for his seventh successive win in the 1 3/4 mile handicap at 16.30 CET.
5 of these wins have been here and 4 of them with this apprentice on board, and despite a huge rise in the weights (a total of 43 lbs since his winning run started!) we expect him to score again. He has never yet raced over this trip, but judging by his style of winning, that should be no problem. Calculating (Mark Usher/ Lee Newnes) has been runner-up 3 times running and can fill the same spot again.
Also at Southwell, Gargano (Mark Johnston Neil Callan) can complete a hat-trick in the 1 mile 3 furlongs handicap at 16.00. This is his first race at the track, but the stable is in great form. Another hat-trick seeker here is Lujiana (Mel Brittain/ Robert Winston) in the 5 furlongs handicap at 17.00 and she can also oblige, at the main expense of oldtimer Cape Royal (Milton Bradley/ Kevin Ghunowa), who is now on a very lenient mark and seems to be coming back to form.
Mark Johnston sends his main jockey Joe Fanning to Wolverhampton´s twilight meeting to partner Greyfriars Chorista in the 3yo handicap at 18.50. This Derby entry has won his last two races with the greatest of ease and with just a 6lbs penalty for his latest success is thrown in at the weights here. It is a similar story with Aaman in the 2 mile handicap at 20.20, who has won twice in the past week and again gets away with just a 6lbs penalty. It is hard to imagine either of these getting beaten, and they will be running off much higher marks in future. German-bred Soprano (out of a Surumu mare!) has not run on the flat for over 3 years, but is fit from hurdling and could be placed at a big price in Aaman´s race.