1.30pm Southwell Tips & Betting Preview 21/11/2017

A middle distance Class 4 handicap hurdle with a prize of £3,899. Read on for expert analysis and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: WHIN PARK ran with a great deal of promise on his handicap bow and should benefit from match fitness. He can take this ahead of Royal Beekeeper who has the profile of a typical Dan Skelton improver, plenty of others are in with chances in a wide open contest.

1 SCOOBY – Graeme McPherson is in excellent form and his charge ran a decent enough race to finish fifth on his return to action last month. He won off six pounds lower in March and if coming on for his reappearance he should run a solid race.

2 COURTLANDS PRINCE – Won a couple of races earlier in the year but races off an eight pound higher mark today and has been well held since despite a few places efforts. Has yet to entirely convince that he stays this trip but is reasonably consistent.

3 SUTTER’S MILL – Ran four excellent races in a row but was rather disappointing last time out at Exeter. Cheekpieces are back on today and that could be the key given he seemed to race very lazily last time but has questions to answer now.

4 WHIN PARK – Made his handicap debut last time out and ran a solid race before emptying out towards the end. He shaped as if he would come on for the run that day and if doing so it would be no surprise were he to play a part in the finish here.

5 WALSINGHAM GRANGE – Has been kept busy on the flat as of late and hasn’t been running badly in that sphere. Needs to take a step forward on some of his efforts over jumps but arrives here in good nick and should run his race.

6 TOWERING – Won easily by five lengths two starts ago and was beaten just a head off a seven pound higher mark next time up. He is only up a pound for that effort and is well handicapped based off his recent efforts as well as his chase mark; interesting.

7 ROYAL BEEKEEPER – Took a step forward to gain his first win over hurdles last time and makes his handicap debut here. A mark of 108 doesn’t look overly harsh and the Skelton team have been going well recently so he should run his race.

8 HOKE COLBURN – Returned to the track after nearly a year off last time for his handicap debut but was pulled up with two to jump. Harry Whittington has been amongst the winners lately but his charge comes with definite risks attached here.

9 TUNNEL CREEK – Olly Murphy has started his training career very well and he ended a long sequence of defeats for this horse on stable debut. He has run well twice of nine pounds higher since then and he should be there or thereabouts again.

10 MIDNIGHT MERLOT – Ran in three bumpers before switching to hurdles and is the type to do better handicapping. He is 0-3 over timber so far but has run behind some very useful novices and a mark of 107 is not insurmountable coming off a break.

11 CHILLY MISS – Brings a rather patchy profile to the table which can be seen from her last two starts at this track. Her course and distance third would entitle her to respect but she followed that with a lacklustre performance when beaten twenty lengths into seventh last time; risky.

12 SEVEN KINGDOMS – Won over fences back in April but has struggled since and switches back to the smaller obstacles today. Was pulled up when last time and unseated his rider the time before so has plenty to prove today and wouldn’t be one to trust.

13 THECORRUPTOR – Has made just five starts over hurdles and they weren’t without promise but faces a tough task today. He has been off for a massive 750 days and it would be an impressive training performance were he to win this.

14 SUGGESTION – Didn’t show much on his seasonal reappearance when tenth of eleven and beaten twenty-two lengths but might have needed that run. He is only one pound higher than when comfortably winning on his final start of last season and is considered on that form.