BIRD FOR LIFE can continue her purple patch with a victory in the BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap (8.30) at Southwell tonight.
Mark Usher’s daughter of Delegator is in the form of her life, having won three of her last four starts.
Since landing a two-mile handicap at Wovlerhampton in mid-October, the eight-year-old mare hasn’t looked back, following up at Chelmsford and following a fourth at Lingfield Park with another score at Dunstall Park 12 days ago.
The most recent triumph came from a British Horseracing Authority mark of 54 and Bird For Life competes from a rating of 56 here.
But my selection won from that rating last year and, thriving for her link-up with Tyler Heard – the 3lb claimer has been on board for each of her last four races – Bird For Life should give another good account here.
At Ffos Las, COLONIAL EMPIRE should rule the roost in the Nadolig Llawen From dragonbet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle (3.40).
The Tim Vaughan-saddled son of Zoffany took another step forward to lift a four-runner novices’ handicap hurdle at Leicester under Alan Johns at the start of the month and has the untapped potential to overcome a 4lb rise in the weights.
THURSDAY'S SELECTIONS
LINGFIELD PARK
11.50 CALONNE
12.20 SAUCISSON
12.50 MEDICI CHAPEL
1.20 THE BUNT
1.50 LADY LOULOU
2.20 SEA TSARINA
2.50 STARSHIBA
3.20 PORFIN
AYR
12.30 BEAT BOX
1.00 SAILING GRACE
1.30 IVAR
2.00 WILD POLLY
2.30 STEP ABOVE
3.00 RETURN FIRE
3.30 LISLORAN
FFOS LAS
12.40 FIRESTREAM
1.10 ALTOBELLI
1.40 BOWTOGREATNESS
2.10 FRENCH PARADOXE
2.40 ROCKY MAN
3.10 FOLLOW THAT
3.40 COLONIAL EMPIRE (NB)
SOUTHWELL
5.00 MARWARI
5.30 STARFIGHTER
6.00 QAASID
6.30 CAPPARIS
7.00 CHANNEL PACKET
7.30 ZEALOT
8.00 FASELIA BEACH
8.30 BIRD FOR LIFE (NAP)
DOUBLE: BIRD FOR LIFE and COLONIAL EMPIRE