Best bets for the horse racing Friday 8th January at Southwell

Compared to the last few days we have quite a few meetings on Friday with Lingfield and Newcastle hosting ‘Bumper Cards’ on their All-Weather tracks. Good luck to them and it is a nice idea allowing the Jumpers to get a run-out but I am not getting involved at either meeting.  

That leaves Southwell and a more traditional All-Weather card on the Fibresand.  

I quite like the chances of one in the 7f Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Handicap at 4.45. Al Batal won over track and trip in November 2019 when in the care of Adrian Nicholls and was beaten only narrowly tiring close home on his debut for his new yard last month returning to action just over a year after the aforementioned win. That’s two runs over C&D for a win and a neck second since coming over from Ireland, we can assume he likes the surface. Trainer Chelsea Banham may be a new name to some of you, she trained out of Mulligan's Yard at HQ, and her charge should strip fitter for that run three-weeks ago. He is ridden by her partner Joey Haynes and I am on at 11-4 for the couple to nick a nice little win here.  

Be lucky