4:14 Southwell Tips

State Of Madness is a 5-year-old gelding trained by Charlie Clover. He has 3 wins from 20 starts and has shown consistency in sprint handicaps, including a recent victory at Newcastle over 1,210 m under Darragh Keenan. He handles short distances and synthetic surfaces well and has placed several times in Class 5 contests. This season he has been competitive in similar races, finishing strongly when in form. State Of Madness is drawn to suit a front-running or prominent style and looks capable of putting pressure on the leaders, making him a live contender in today’s sprint.

Lightly raced 4yo. He was a good third in back-to-back races last autumn on turf against much stronger rivals than those he faces in this Class 5 handicap. The form from those two races is solid. He’s had a three-month break and is on a handy mark now. He was a winner on this surface last summer at Wolverhampton, winning that novice stakes by 6L.

Winner at Chelmsford last month. In and out since, but is back on that last winning mark now, so it would be no surprise to see him run well.

Jesse Luc has won 6 of his 21 starts, with 3 of those wins coming here at Southwell. His last win was at Chelmsford in May last year off a mark of 70. He returned from four months off when only beaten 2.5 lengths into fourth at Chelmsford two weeks ago. Now only 1 lb higher than his last win, he looks sure to go well and is worth backing EW with four places on offer.

Blue Lakota has strong all weather form, bagging 5 wins from 13 runs and still showing progression LTO. He finished ahead of True Promise, who is a solid yardstick and Cargin Bhui, who won NTO. The 6th, Abduction has also won since and I can't get my head round the selection being 10/1 off just 2lb higher (off 74 today having achieved an RPR of 79 that day).

Won a big-field contest at York last July and has been lightly raced since. Rested for over four months and has been known to do well when fresh.

Previous course-and-distance winner has his first run since October. He has run well after a break previously. He has a decent each-way chance, just 4 lb higher than for his win on his penultimate start.

This course-and-distance winner last won in a C5 6f race at Chelmsford in December. Now just above that last winning mark. George Wood takes over the steering. Each-way chance.

Won over 7 furlongs at Wolverhampton last time out and this former course and distance winner is just as effective over this shorter trip.

This is a competitive race, but Pianoforte can't be ruled out in this based on the last two runs on the Tapeta at Newcastle. Dylan Hogan was on for one of those rides, and he's three pounds lighter in the handicap. Drawn high, but that's not necessarily a disadvantage. He is likely to be dropped in, with plenty of pace to aim for.

Thank you. Appreciate is a gelding who runs at Southwell today and has shown he can be competitive on the all-weather when racing off marks similar to this. He had a run over a comparable trip where he travelled well and finished close to the winner, suggesting the surface clearly suits. He has previously run to at least this level off today’s rating, and there is form in his profile that hints he can step forward when able to settle and get a clear run. With conditions again in his favour, he looks capable of producing a stronger showing and getting involved at decent odds.