Masai Well Handicapped

While ten-year-old veteran Shavansky is in cracking form this winter, things have not worked out quite so well for fellow ten-year-old Masai Moon. After picking up an injury last spring, he has had three starts this year and lacked a bit of spark. However, the handicapper has been very generous and dropped him 11lbs in those three runs and was only beaten four lengths at Kempton last time. He returns to Southwell on Tuesday and runs in 0-60 company for the first time and he does seem more effective on the fibresand surface. His last win at the Nottinghamshire venue came off 79 and with Pat's claim, he is effectively 27lb lower. Six furlongs is a slight concern as he is getting older and the trip has always been on the sharp side but his two 2012 wins both came at the sprint distance.

Talking of Shavansky, he goes in a £19,000 handicap at Kempton on Wednesday over ten furlongs. The old boy is in cracking form and we have decided to put Andrea back on board to see if a professional can get anymore out of him. However, the tight nature of Kempton's inner track is not really ideal, eleven furlongs would have been preferable and it looks a very competitive race so it is no easy task.

It is a very busy Wednesday with Modem and Miss Tweedy in action at Lingfield. Modem has been progressive since switching into handicap company and stepped up to middle distances. He won nicely at Lingfield in first-time blinkers before improving in defeat when third off a four pound higher mark at Kempton last time out. The blinkers may have just made him a bit keen last time so we have taken them off to see if he still needs them to concentrate. It is a competitive race once again with three of his rivals on the back of a win but he's down from a 0-80 to 0-70 so should find it slightly easier than the Kempton race. Miss Tweedy shaped nicely on debut at Newbury before disappointing on her second start. She certainly has some ability but is the type to progress with time and experience and will probably find life easier in handicap company.