The Betway Sprint Handicap (1.50) at Southwell on Monday is competitive enough, but Crosse Fire has won seven times at the Nottinghamshire venue and ran as though his turn wasn’t far away on his most recent visit 18 days ago. Scott Dixon’s 6-year-old has been raised 1lb in the weights for finishing third, beaten half a length and the same, behind Midnight Malibu in a similar race over 5 furlongs on that occasion, but remains 2lb lower than when winning over course and distance in April. The Monsieur Bond gelding has been campaigned mainly over 5 furlongs in recent starts, winning over that distance at Beverley in May and Pontefract in July, but has overall form figures of 361514360 over course and distance and it’ll be disappointing if he’s not there or thereabouts once again off what appears to be a workable mark.
Selection: Southwell 1.50 Crosse Fire to win 5/1