Horse Racing Tips: Star to shine at Southwell on Wednesday

There is a mixture of jumps and all-weather Flat racing in the UK and Ireland on Wednesday, with five meetings scheduled to take place from early in the afternoon and into the winter evening.

Among our three Wednesday selections is a five-year-old sprinter in the opening race on the all-weather at Southwell.

Today's Horse Races

12:08 Southwell - Fortunate Star @ 2/1

FORTUNATE STAR has strong win claims in the nine-runner Class 6 5f Apprentice Riders’ Handicap which opens the card on the AW at Southwell on Wednesday afternoon.

The five-year-old’s form figures are 13122 on artificial surfaces since November, including two victories over this course and distance and, if the old adage ‘to follow a sprinter in form’ rings true, then he is the one to side with on this occasion.

The gelding matched his personal best AW Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 69 when second over 1f further at Newcastle five days ago, and the drop back to the minimum trip on this course is going to suit.

The capable 3lb-claiming apprentice jockey Zak Wheatley renews his 2-18 association with the selection in the saddle, including one of his November course-and-distance victories, so a mark of 61 becomes particularly appealing.

15:15 Southwell - Sunshine Soul @ 7/4

SUNSHINE SOUL has the most compelling profile among the 11 runners due to face the starter in the Class 5 6f Fillies’ Novice Stakes, representing George Boughey with Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane in the saddle.

Boughey went 4-16 (25%) in the past 14 days, and is 34-157 (22%) with his representatives on this course. Loughnane is already 76-408 (19%) when riding for Boughey’s Newmarket yard and their association will reportedly be firming up for the new Flat season that is looming on the horizon.

The three-year-old daughter of Mehmas sets the form standard in this field. She registered an encouraging RPR of 75 when second on her debut over 5f on quick ground at Nottingham in June, and the winner is now rated 104.

She produced another solid effort when second over 6f at Pontefract in July, and, following a break, is surely capable of building strongly on her close fourth of 11 over the minimum trip on this course in August when achieving another respectable RPR of 74 over the inadequate distance.

15:50 Southwell - Rusheen Boy ew @ 5/1

Finally, RUSHEEN BOY has decent each-way claims racing from a favourable low draw in the nine-runner Class 6 6f Handicap, representing the Julia and Shelley Birkett training partnership with Dylan Hogan continuing in the saddle.

The four–year-old is a dual course-and-distance winner whose best RPR of 70 came when second at this time of year over this course and distance in January last year.

The selection features off a mark of 63 after nearly matching that peak RPR when second over an extra furlong at Kempton 28 days ago, and he is capable of going one place better back over 6f on this course.

Horse Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.