Horse Racing Tips: Nobel Phoenix ready to step forward

There's a mixture of Flat and Jumps action across the UK and Ireland on Friday, with five meetings taking place throughout the afternoon and into the evening. 

I'm focusing on the card at Southwell later on Friday for our daily horse racing tips, particularly one for trainer Andrew Balding who is operating at 20% strike rate over the last two weeks.

17:45 Southwell - Nobel Phoenix each-way @ 7/1

NOBEL PHOENIX appeals as a likely improver and each-way prospect on this handicap debut.

The son of Arizona displayed ability amongst inexperience in a trio of qualifying runs in the autumn. 

Those efforts came behind some useful prospects, including on his final start switched to the all-weather at Wolverhampton, with the fourth-placed runner giving the form some substance in winning his next start. 

The Andrew Balding runner has been given time to develop and this looks a good starting point for life in handicaps from a mark of 69. The step up in trip and a recent gelding operation are possible sources of improvement and he returns with his yard among the winners. 

Lightly-raced filly Sorbus showed good battling qualities to get the better of a subsequent winner at Kempton in January and may be the main danger. 

This is an Extra Place Race, with Betfred paying 4 places instead of 3 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

18:15 Southwell - Twilight Romance @ 7/1

Look out for TWILIGHT ROMANCE half an hour later at Southwell as the John & Sean Quinn-trained four-year-old returns for his seasonal debut. 

The Twilight Son gelding remains relatively lightly-raced for his age, only making the track four times last season. 

Arguably the pick of those runs came only his only previous attempt on an artificial surface, over this course and distance, when finishing second in a race that has worked out well. 

Running from the same mark of 85 today, there is every chance he can go one better if ready to roll after a break.  

Wind surgery and a first-time hood could bring about further improvement and he has the potential to rate higher yet. 

This has the look for a good race for the grade and there are plenty of dangers to the selection, with Rohan catching the eye down into class four company for the first time in four years.

18:45 Southwell - Tashkeer @ 15/8

TASKHEER bounced back to form with a bang dropped into Classified company last week, running out a comfortable winner at Lingfield.

Daniel Steele’s runner was well supported in the market that day and given the manner of victory there must be every chance he can complete a quick fire double remaining in the same grade. 

A 4lb penalty is more than offset by in-form apprentice Warren Fentimen’s 7lb claim and the son of Golden Horn remains well below his previous last winning mark.

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