BBOTD Tuesday 11th Feb

[Irishbugger]

3.05pm @ Southwell 'Joe Eile' 8/1 (Coral) Horse has some very decent form in Ireland over the years and has kept some very good company. Not made too many forays over the water, last one was the Gold Cup at Ayr where finished well beaten but still in front of some very good horses who would win tomorrow's race at a canter. First run for new stable and mark doesn't look overly tough, nor does the competition. Massive price. 1 point win

[Lodge]

Re: BBOTD Tuesday 11th Feb 3.05 - Southwell - Naabegha 1pt @ 14/1 Boylesports, BetVictor Frontier Fighter has an extremely good record round here and will undoubtedly go close, however he needs a career best to take this and i’m not usually one for backing at short odds. Naabegha is far from a confident selection opposing him but i get the feeling he’ll pick up a race soon enough. He’s far from straightforward and often spoils his chances by pulling hard but he’s starting to look feasibly handicapped. He didn’t win in handicap company last year but was placed on numerous occasions off higher marks. He’s been running in some decent races of late, and pulled hard last time in a race that was run quite slowly in the early stages, that put paid to his chances really. If he does manage to settle tomorrow i expect him to go close though, I personally think 7f is his best distance and i find it interesting that headgear has been left off for the first time since his win 3 starts ago. He beat Apostle off level weights in December over this distance. Today he meets that rival on 5lb better terms so the fact he’s a much bigger price than that rival is abit of an insult. He only finished 2L behind Frontier Fighter last time out too and has a slight swing in the weights so theres no reason why he shouldn’t get close to that rival. The one big question mark is whether he will take to the surface, i can honestly say i have no idea. It is obviously worth noting his trainers good record at this course though. Tom Queally rides, he had a big price winner for this yard yesterday and is 3 from 8 for Alan McCabe this year, i imagine he chose Naabegha over Bedloe’s Island who is ridden by Ben Curtis, so that could also be a pointer at his chances.