Southwell Preview: Red Rosso ready to rumble

Red Rosso has run his best races at Southwell and looks weighted to go well in the 2m handicap chase there today (3.00).

The Rob Summers trained gelding took advantage of a fall in the weights to open his account over course and distance back in June when gamely holding on to beat Sporsreport by 3/4 of a length.

The handicapper put Red Rosso up 10lb for that success, but the nine-year-old showed he was capable of winning races of his revised mark of 79 when a solid third to Danby’s Legend over course and distance next time up.

Although Red Rosso has since run poorly at Uttoxeter and Worcester, the assessor has dropped him 3lb to a mark of 76 and that should enable the once 92-rated son of Executive Perk to be very competitive in a weak class 5 contest lacking any real strength in depth.

The return to this venue is certainly a big plus, and Red Rosso is fancied to make the most of the lumps of weight he receives from his main market rivals to land the spoils in the hands of Brendan Powell.

In the 2m 4f handicap hurdle (4.10), the unexposed Lecale Lad is a fascinating contender for in-form trainer Tim Vaughan.

The gelding ran out the impressive wide margin winner of an Irish point back in December 2012, but failed to cut any ice on his first three starts over hurdles for Vaughan.

However, the seven-year-old then put in a much improved effort to finish third to No No Mac over course and distance in a race which has worked out well.

The winner went on to score again and is now rated 127, and the runner-up, fourth, fifth and sixth home have also won since.

That is strong form in the context of this weak class 5 contest, and makes Lecale Lad’s current mark of 94 look potentially on the lenient side.

Elsewhere on the card, the progressive Kilfinichen Bay should have little difficulty landing the four-timer in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle (4.40) and the Charlie Longsdon trained Germany Calling looks a cut above his rivals and a worthy odds-on shot in the novices’ hurdle (5.10).