February 05 / 16.25 Southwell (AW)

16.25

Standard

Build Your Acca With BetUK Apprentice Handicap

  • Prize money: £5400
  • 1m 4f 14y
  • Class 5
  • 9 runners
SKY
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Build Your Acca With BetUK Apprentice Handicap

Runners: 9 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Mostly cloudy

14/1 (Won)

  • Win: £10.70
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 8501-0 C

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Two AW wins from just seven attempts, over 2m at Kempton and on this track, but wildly contrasting fortunes in recent starts and he was way down the field behind Simiyann at Wolverhampton last time out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

3rd Jul 2025

Good

2m 0f 47y

Class 4

14:50 Perth

Caldwell

11st 6lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Returned from break with clearcut win in selling handicap at Fakenham (2m, good) in February but two lesser efforts followed (chase/hurdle); back from another break today; others have less to prove.

10/1

6th

4

20th Mar 2025

Good

2m 0f 178y

Class 4

16:53 Sedgefield

Caldwell

11st 8lb

J: Ross Chapman

T: Jennie Candlish

held up in rear, not fluent 4th, hung right and outpaced home turn, hung badly right and lost touch after 2 out

11/2

7/1

  • Place: £5.50

Form: 229/5-

Last run: 111 days

W: 9st 6lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
Hurdle winner for Olly Murphy in 2022 but fell on final two starts for the yard this winter and hasn't run on the AW/Flat since his days in France in 2021 (close up on Polytrack once); questions raised.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(2)

18th May 2026

Good

1m 6f 32y

Class 5

15:30 Carlisle

Swinging London

9st 4lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: John Mackie

Five wins on AW, including at Southwell (1m6f) last time; may remain competitive but looks by no means guaranteed to follow up, being 0-15 in Flat turf events; just 1-20 over hurdles.

6/1

1st

3

(2)

23rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 6f 21y

Class 5

18:00 Southwell (AW)

Swinging London

9st 7lb

J: Finley Marsh

T: John Mackie

Dual C&D winner; beaten 2l when fourth of six here last month and he was unfortunate not to go even closer when fourth of 12 at Pontefract (1m4f, good to soft; short of room late on) 16 days ago; switches back to the AW with a good chance.

7/4

4th

3

(7)

7th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 5y

Class 5

16:27 Pontefract

Swinging London

9st 7lb

J: Connor Beasley

T: John Mackie

Returned to the Flat with respectable fourth of six at Southwell (1m4f, AW) last month but is still 3lb higher than for narrow AW win last autumn, and his Flat turf strike-rate is 0-14.

10/1

8/1

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 3258-5 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 0lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Had two close calls in the autumn, over 1m4f on turf and 2m on Newcastle Tapeta, but they were in and around some lesser efforts, including on last two starts; turnaround vital.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 5

15:40 Doncaster

Animato

11st 6lb

J: Theo Gillard

T: Donald McCain

Had plenty of Flat racing and won five times; 0-6 as a hurdler and after his fourth to The Resdev Tyke on Boxing Day he ran no race at Sedgefield; others preferred.

16/1

7th

1

4th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 178y

Class 5

14:42 Sedgefield

Animato

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Donald McCain

Five-time Flat winner who is 0-5 over hurdles but ran pretty well when fourth of 11 at Wetherby (2m, soft) on Boxing Day on his first handicap start in this code; today's extra yardage looks a plus and he's in with a chance.

11/2

OUR TIP

Form: 7535-2

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 11lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Had 1m4f form in France; made an encouraging yard debut at Wolverhampton (about 1m1f) and a renewed effort only just failed against one on a three-timer there (2m) four weeks ago; third has won since; switches track but good chance off just 1lb higher.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

15

(16)

15th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 0y

Class 5

18:10 Newbury

Simiyann

8st 13lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: Ian Williams

Dual 2m winner last year; two heavy defeats over hurdles before perking up somewhat on return to Flat in January, but absent since; well handicapped on plenty of turf and AW form, so needs a close look, but the last time he raced over a trip this short was February 2024.

16/1

6th

3

(8)

22nd Jan 2026

Standard

1m 6f 21y

Class 5

16:00 Southwell (AW)

Simiyann

9st 10lb

J: Ryan Kavanagh

T: Ian Williams

Returns to the Flat after two heavy defeats over hurdles; ran below market expectations on last attempt under this code but is competitively treated on best AW/turf form.

10/1

4th

2

(4)

28th Oct 2025

Standard

2m 0f 120y

Class 5

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Simiyann

10st 2lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Ian Williams

Twice won easily here (1m6f/16.5f) around this time last year and is back off the same mark as when successful at Ffos Las (2m, good) in August; makes plenty of appeal.

11/2

10/1

Form: 80370- D

Last run: 98 days

W: 9st 7lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Well treated on the form of consecutive 1m4f turf wins in spring 2022; 0-13 on AW and hasn't shown much liking for sand in his most recent attempts but he does act on Tapeta; not ignored back from break.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

5

(1)

5th Feb 2024

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 5

16:25 Southwell (AW)

Shake A Leg

9st 7lb

J: Ryan Sexton

T: Julie Camacho

Well treated on the form of consecutive 1m4f turf wins in spring 2022; 0-13 on AW and hasn't shown much liking for sand in his most recent attempts but he does act on Tapeta; not ignored back from break.

10/1

10th

4

(6)

30th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 5

16:15 Newcastle (AW)

Shake A Leg

9st 12lb

J: Ryan Sexton

T: Julie Camacho

prominent, alone towards far side home straight

16/1

10th

4

(6)

30th Oct 2023

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 5

16:15 Newcastle (AW)

Shake A Leg

9st 12lb

J: Ryan Sexton

T: Julie Camacho

prominent, alone towards far side home straight

16/1

Form: /418-0

Last run: 31 days

W: 9st 12lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Lightly raced for the Johnston yard, winning a 1m6f maiden on turf last June; pulled up over hurdles for new yard and finished last of ten over C&D since.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

14

(16)

3rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 2f 42y

Class 2

16:10 Newcastle (AW)

Midnight Lion

8st 8lb

J: Lauren Young

T: Jim Goldie

24 visits to Newcastle have yielded nine wins, seven over C&D; the latest came on New Year's Day when beating five rivals; fifth of 12 at Southwell since and could better that performance now back here, but there's a suspicion today's contest will prove too competitive.

25/1

5th

6

(2)

20th Feb 2026

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 3

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Midnight Lion

9st 6lb

J: Lauren Young

T: Jim Goldie

Enhanced his outstanding Newcastle record (all nine AW wins there) on New Year's Day when fending off five rivals; only 2lb higher and he'll probably be ridden positively as usual; has only raced twice here (unplaced).

13/2

33/1

Form: 3/69-8 CD

Last run: 31 days

W: 9st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 67

Form & Verdict
C&D winner in late 2022 but he hasn't been in the best of form over hurdles or back over C&D since returning from a break in September; on a handy mark but clearly needs plenty more than his run here last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(3)

23rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

19:30 Windsor

Night Bear

9st 9lb

J: Neil Callan

T: Tony Carroll

Four-time turf winner who last scored at Brighton (1m4f, good to firm; has won at this trip) two years ago; went close on two occasions at 1m3f (visored) during latest AW campaign but his latest effort when last of ten at Southwell (1m4f; raced freely) wasn't an ideal springboard for this switch back to grass; blinkers (has won in them before) go back on.

8/1

10th

10

(9)

28th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 6

16:05 Southwell (AW)

Night Bear

9st 2lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Tony Carroll

Just 1-30 on the AW, but the win came over C&D and he was only beaten a head by Jack Andrea here (1m3f) last month; 5lb pull makes him a player even though his losing run is mounting up.

11/2

2nd

2

(9)

28th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 3f 23y

Class 6

20:00 Southwell (AW)

Night Bear

9st 8lb

J: William Carson

T: Tony Carroll

Only 1-29 on AW but gained the win at Southwell (in 2022) and is currently in a consistent vein of form, mainly here and most recently at Chelmsford; frame possibilities.

13/2

Form: 7922-5 D

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 0lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 61

Form & Verdict
Two 1m4f wins on Newcastle Tapeta for Tim Easterby as well as two respectable C&D runs; not badly treated at present and should come on for her recent stable debut after a break; considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

9

(4)

21st Oct 2024

Standard

1m 6f 21y

Class 6

20:15 Southwell (AW)

Can Can Girl

8st 13lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Craig Lidster

slowly away, in rear

16/1

6th

5

(11)

2nd Oct 2024

Good To Soft

1m 7f 189y

Class 6

15:23 Catterick

Can Can Girl

9st 4lb

J: Sam James

T: Craig Lidster

Multiple winner at up to 14.5f; stays 2m; back on her last winning mark and ran with credit when third at Thirsk (1m4f, good to soft) latest; should be thereabouts.

7/1

3rd

6

(9)

16th Sep 2024

Good

1m 4f 8y

Class 6

13:45 Thirsk

Can Can Girl

9st 7lb

J: William Pyle

T: Craig Lidster

Suited by give in the ground; won off this mark at Doncaster in July (1m6f, good to soft); not fared as well since; bit to prove.

11/1

20/1

Form: 10655-

Last run: 182 days

W: 9st 5lb

6 yo Filly

OR: 66

Form & Verdict
Turf win at 1m2f for previous yard last April; hasn't lived up to that subsequently, on the Flat or when pulled up over hurdles for new yard in January; more needed on one previous 1m4f Tapeta handicap run.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

4

(8)

20th Jun 2024

Soft

1m 4f 10y

Class 6

13:35 Ripon

Vallamorey

10st 6lb

J: Miss Amy Collier

T: Sam England

took keen hold, in touch with leaders in centre of group

20/1

5th

9

(7)

26th Apr 2024

Soft

1m 2f 43y

Class 5

16:15 Doncaster

Vallamorey

8st 8lb

J: Shane Gray

T: Sam England

held up in rear

20/1

5th

9

(7)

26th Apr 2024

Soft

1m 2f 43y

Class 5

16:15 Doncaster

Vallamorey

8st 8lb

J: Shane Gray

T: Sam England

held up in rear

20/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £281.80
Straight Forecast £208.27
Tricast £1249.33
Trifecta £1301.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Simiyann

RP RATINGS:

Animato

POSTDATA:

Caldwell

The Times:

Simiyann

Telegraph:

Simiyann

The Guardian:

Simiyann

Daily Mail:

Simiyann

D Express:

Simiyann

Daily Mirror:

Simiyann

The Sun:

Simiyann

The Star:

Simiyann

Daily Record:

Simiyann