ATTORNEY can lay down the law at Southwell today in division one of the Littlewoods Sprint Handicap.
An outside draw isn't ideal for Derek Shaw's speedy four-year-old, but there's no denying the son of Wolfhound is reasonably well treated off a rating of 61.
Shaw claimed Attorney (1.30) out of Mick Jarvis's stable at Wolverhampton last week after finishing a close second to his own Random Task.
Random Task landed a sizeable gamble that day so Derek has a good line on the form to Attorney, rated as high as 81 by Timeform at the end of last season.
Jamies Osborne's Lord Melbourne landed the nap for us yesterday at Lingfield, albeit at 6-5.
Osborne can do little wrong at present so it may well prove profitable to side with his Achilles Spirit in the closing two-mile contest.
Osborne's raider is trying the trip for the first time and if his stamina does hold out I think he will be different gear to a bunch of thoroughly exposed rivals.
Roy Bowring is another trainer to have his string in tremendous heart on the sand, boding positively for the prospects of Rex Is Okay in the preceding seven-furlong Selling Stakes.
Ace all-weather pilot Jimmy Quinn has been booked to partner Rex Is Okay (4.00), who normally comes out of the traps with electrifying pace.
The selection has been found wanting over a mile so the drop back in distance might have the desired effect.
Some pretty big guns face the starter for the £15,000 Showcase Handicap over two-miles-and-five-furlongs at Wincanton.
Former smart stayer on the flat and champion hurdle fancy Grey Shot is an interesting runner from Ian Balding's stable, but I marginally prefer Davoski (3.20), having run a cracker when third to Turgeonev at Ascot in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot in January.
In the following Annual Members Handicap Hurdle, Achilles Heel (3.50) can count himself unlucky not to be standing on the brink of a four-timer.
Karen George's rapidly-improving six-year-old has prevailed in two of his last three starts, plus tossing away a potential winning opportunity when unshipping none other than Tony McCoy at Hereford when the pair were three lengths clear jumping the last.
Huntingdon open up with the lowly extended two-mile Gill & Punter Claiming Hurdle, an event likely to fall to Polish Baron ((1.40).
Trainer John White, once with over 90 horses in his care, is now down to just a handful at his Aston Rowant base in Oxfordshire. Polish Baron has, however, continued to fly the flag for White, coming good at Fontwell in December and finishing a fair fourth to Half The Pot back at the Sussex track 16 days ago.
The closing three-mile-two-furlong Handicap Hurdle will be a slog-and-a-half, especially as conditions are reported to be extremely testing.
There are a couple of course and distance scorers in the field, including Kippanour and Mr Christie (4.40).
The latter showed much more resolution than normal when collecting at Newcastle recently and if his new-found enthusiasm remains undiminished then he is the obvious selection off such feather weight.
l Moor Lane has been in demand with Coral to land this year's Martell Grand National at Aintree on April 6.
Ian Balding's lightly-raced ten-year-old is now 10-1 favourite, having been 16-1 co-favourite of three with Ad Hoc and Supreme Glory yesterday.
Moor Lane took the Great Yorkshire Chase on his latest start.
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