January 23 / 18.45 Southwell (AW)

18.45

Standard

BetMGM Supports Safer Gambling Handicap (Div II)

  • Prize money: £4972.3
  • 0m 7f 14y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
View Course
BetMGM Supports Safer Gambling Handicap (Div II)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Light rain

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 9361-1 CD

Last run: 13 days

W: 9st 9lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Thoroughly exposed 10yo but back in the groove after wins here (7f) and at Newcastle (1m); hurled up 11lb for his troubles but he has less to prove than many in here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

11

(11)

27th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 192y

Class 3

13:55 York

Eligible

9st 4lb

J: Lewis Chalkley

T: Michael & David Easterby

Veteran who has a better strike-rate on AW than on turf and hasn't prevailed in this sphere since York success three years ago; midfield when the 125-1 rank outsider back here last time.

66/1

10th

8

(21)

12th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

13:50 York

Eligible

9st 9lb

J: Lewis Chalkley

T: Michael & David Easterby

Veteran who won over 7f at Southwell in January but has been operating below his best since; drawn widest and likely best to look elsewhere.

40/1

4th

4

(1)

26th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 219y

Class 4

15:50 Redcar

Eligible

9st 6lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

Veteran who won over 7f at Southwell in January but has been rather below his best since; equally effective on turf and has won over 1m on fast ground; others look better handicapped.

16/1

14/1

  • Place: £1.80

Form: 06400- C

Last run: 90 days

W: 9st 2lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Easy to make a case on last year's peak form but signed off with two quiet runs and now back from three months off; not without hope if the break has done him good; has form here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

19

(15)

12th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

13:50 York

Feel The Need

9st 2lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: Michael Herrington

Good C&D record includes a win in this race (good to firm) off 1lb higher last year; good second at Southwell (7f) in January but always behind over C&D four months later; may well have needed that outing but needed to see more to be confident.

14/1

21th

14

(10)

23rd May 2026

Good

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:00 York

Feel The Need

9st 3lb

J: Shane Gray

T: Michael Herrington

Most of his 14 races at York have been over 7f, including wins in this race in 2024 and another last June; absent since second on AW in January and that's the longest break he's had for two years, which asks a question, but he has to be considered off his last winning mark.

16/1

2nd

7

(3)

23rd Jan 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

18:45 Southwell (AW)

Feel The Need

9st 2lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Michael Herrington

Easy to make a case on last year's peak form but signed off with two quiet runs and now back from three months off; not without hope if the break has done him good; has form here.

14/1

10/1

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 1750-6

Last run: 19 days

W: 9st 0lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 71

Form & Verdict
Hasn't been that threatening since winning in a first-time tongue-tie at Chelmsford in October (6f); unplaced and sixth in two previous runs at 7f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

8

(5)

23rd Jan 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

18:45 Southwell (AW)

Sensorium

9st 0lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Dylan Cunha

Hasn't been that threatening since winning in a first-time tongue-tie at Chelmsford in October (6f); unplaced and sixth in two previous runs at 7f.

10/1

1st

9

(1)

23rd Oct 2025

Standard

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

17:15 Chelmsford (AW)

Sensorium

9st 5lb

J: David Egan

T: Dylan Cunha

Made all in a maiden at Beverley (5f, good to firm) last July before finishing third of 20 in a sales race at the York Ebor Meeting (6f, good to firm), but he's been below that level in five starts this year; mark is dropping and tongue-tie is now tried on AW debut.

12/1

4/1

Form: 0707-5 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Well treated on last year's high points and it wasn't a bad run from off the pace at Chelmsford 12 days ago, given how that race panned out (pulled hard/got behind/found trouble); the cheekpieces are worth persevering with.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

12

(11)

6th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

20:00 Newcastle (AW)

Tolstoy

9st 4lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Brian Ellison

Too headstrong in a clear lead at Southwell (7f) last time, so did fairly well to be beaten only 2l in the end; gained last win off 10lb higher at Newcastle in August 2024; fighting chance provided he settles.

10/1

4th

6

(6)

23rd Jan 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

18:45 Southwell (AW)

Tolstoy

9st 6lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

Well treated on last year's high points and it wasn't a bad run from off the pace at Chelmsford 12 days ago, given how that race panned out (pulled hard/got behind/found trouble); the cheekpieces are worth persevering with.

4/1

7th

13

(5)

13th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 0f 0y

Class 2

13:15 Doncaster

Tolstoy

8st 9lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Brian Ellison

Well suited by York and went close there in June; inconsistent otherwise during a 2025 campaign that has been markedly less productive than 2024; cheekpieces refitted for the first time since 2022; opposed.

40/1

9/2

Form: 2372-2

Last run: 7 days

W: 9st 6lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Six-time AW winner who continues to run well off this sort of mark, as when beaten only a head at Wolverhampton last week (8.6f); however, this is a very belated return to 7f.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

7

(6)

18th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 0f 3y

Class 4

16:25 Yarmouth

Hitched

9st 5lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: David Simcock

Won twice on turf in the summer of 2023 but better known for his AW exploits since; well beaten at Lingfield (1m1f, good to firm) on last month's return to grass; others are safer.

20/1

6th

6

(4)

30th May 2026

Good

1m 1f 0y

Class 4

18:42 Lingfield

Hitched

9st 2lb

J: Darragh Keenan

T: David Simcock

A regular on the AW here (three wins) who's much higher in the weights than when last seen frequently on turf; generally consistent but whether he's up to this mark on grass is the leading question, and Quamby looks his trainer's best chance.

25/1

13th

14

(14)

3rd Apr 2026

Standard

1m 2f 0y

Class 3

15:15 Lingfield (AW)

Hitched

9st 0lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: David Simcock

Four-time winner over 1m/1m2f here and just 1lb higher than when beating a dual subsequent winner at Wolverhampton (8.6f, Tapeta) in January, but he has the outside stall and will require some luck given his come-from-behind style.

25/1

OUR TIP

9/4

Form: 75631- CD

Last run: 35 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Yet another C&D success when doing it comfortably just before Christmas having raced prominently throughout; 6lb rise sees him on a career-high mark but he'll go well if in similar form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

(4)

30th Apr 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 4

19:00 Southwell (AW)

King Of Ithaca

9st 2lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: James Tate

6-31 on AW, four of those wins gained over C&D and the most recent a ready success from a 1lb lower mark last December; failed to settle on outer when only eighth of 12 (Jersey Maverick sixth, State of Madness ninth) at Kempton three weeks ago; others arrive in better form.

10/1

8th

2

(12)

8th Apr 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 7f 0y

Class 5

18:30 Kempton (AW)

King Of Ithaca

9st 9lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: James Tate

Best known for his Southwell exploits, but has run well here including a win over this trip; the outside stall is not ideal, though.

10/1

5th

6

(4)

13th Mar 2026

Standard

0m 7f 14y

Class 3

17:45 Southwell (AW)

King Of Ithaca

8st 9lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: James Tate

Last four wins have been gained over C&D at Class 5 or lower, and tonight's would be the highest banded handicap he has taken in to date; drop back from 1m rates a plus, but clear career best likely required.

10/1

12/1

Form: 1835-6 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 9st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Won easily at Wolverhampton in November (7f) and was 10lb higher than that day when a close third at Newcastle the following month; now has to rebound from two lesser efforts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

(8)

3rd Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 213y

Class 5

14:35 Doncaster

Al Muqdad

9st 7lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

Returned from a break with good third at Ayr (7f, good to firm) in May and he went very close here (7f, good to firm) last Friday; he's done all of his winning at 7f but can be in the mix if the return to 1m isn't an issue.

9/2

2nd

3

(5)

26th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 6y

Class 5

11:45 Doncaster

Al Muqdad

9st 6lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

Productive spell in June/July 2024 featured a C&D success off 6lb higher; poor striike-rate since but he ran encouragingly at Ayr (first turf attempt of 2026) most recently; in the mix.

6/1

Form: 84390- D

Last run: 34 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Ascot novice winner for Brian Meehan but became hard to predict for that yard and sold on for 30,000gns; made a quiet debut for this trainer at Wolverhampton a month ago when a market drifter.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(7)

10th Jul 2026

Good

0m 7f 1y

Class 5

20:12 Chester

Law Of Design

10st 2lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Ian Williams

Sole win from 13 starts was in a four-runner novice at Ascot (7f, soft) in September 2024; well handicapped on his old form but he's been well held in his last five runs and has something to prove after another break.

14/1

9th

9

(5)

7th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 0f 13y

Class 2

19:00 Southwell (AW)

Law Of Design

9st 3lb

J: Charles Bishop

T: Ian Williams

Some fair turf form for Brian Meehan, but despite plummeting in the weights has shown little in three AW starts for this yard, failing to beat a rival over 7f here in January; cheekpieces given a go, but some way down the stable's pecking order.

16/1

5th

1

(8)

12th Feb 2026

Standard

0m 7f 0y

Class 5

20:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Law Of Design

9st 9lb

J: Edward Greatrex

T: Ian Williams

Yet to fire for his new yard but he met some traffic issues when last of eight in 7f Southwell handicap 20 days ago; he was a fair 7f winner at his best for Brian Meehan so possibilities on his first go on Polytrack.

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £23.20
Straight Forecast £21.35
Tricast £130.55
Trifecta £221.30

Selections

POSTDATA:

King Of Ithaca

SPOTLIGHT:

Feel The Need

THE NORTH:

Eligible

The Sun:

Hitched

RP RATINGS:

Feel The Need

TOPSPEED:

Feel The Need

The Times:

Feel The Need

NEWMARKET:

King Of Ithaca

Telegraph:

King Of Ithaca

The Guardian:

King Of Ithaca

The Star:

King Of Ithaca

Daily Record:

King Of Ithaca

Daily Mail:

Eligible

D Express:

Eligible

Daily Mirror:

Eligible