Dune of Pilat looks to secure Southwell win

IRISH raider Dune Of Pilat is difficult to oppose in the Bombardier Golden Beer Novice Stakes at Southwell.

Beaten by just half a length when runner-up on his Dundalk debut in November, Joseph O’Brien’s inmate was unsurprisingly well fancied to go one better at this same venue last month and duly obliged - readily getting the better of his chief market rival Balmari.

With opportunities to run at home limited at this time of year, Dune Of Pilat crosses the Irish Sea in a bid to follow up - and faces three opponents rated in the 70s and one horse who makes his racecourse debut.

It will be disappointing if O’Brien’s charge cannot make the most of what looks a gilt-edged opportunity.

There are good grounds to believe Sandridge Lad can end a 16-race losing spell in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap.

John Ryan’s four-year-old has been kept on the go since scoring at this venue last March, running on the turf during the spring and summer before reverting to the all-weather.

His form has been mixed and as a result he is now 5lb below that last winning mark, even though his recent efforts have been pretty good.

Sandridge Lad has finished second in his last three starts and was sent off favourite on his first start of 2020 most recently. He can reward those who keep the faith on his latest visit to Nottinghamshire.

Fortissimo has yet to score from 10 starts, but Mark Johnston’s four-yearold can finally get on the scoresheet in the Bombardier Handicap.

It is testament to the horse that the record-breaking trainer has hung on to him for so long, despite not getting a win on the board.

His last effort was arguably his best as he was only beaten a length into third place at Wolverhampton.

Fortissimo returns nine days later off the same mark and if the application of a visor for the first time brings about even a modicum of improvement, he should prove hard to beat.

Finnegan’s Garden struck at Lingfield earlier this month and can double up in the My Mate Alan Chapman Handicap Chase.

Zoe Davison’s 11-year-old made light work of the testing conditions to comfortably beat The Gipper by four and a quarter lengths a fortnight ago.