DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING

MONDAY FEBRUARY 3

2.45 SOUTHWELL

MY CULLEN (best price 12-1) shaped with much more promise at Newbury last time out than he did previously on his hurdling debut and despite the nagging doubt of this run being his third one more a statutory handicap mark, a small chance is taken Henrietta Knight’s gelding runs on his merits.

The race at the Berkshire venue was a hot one on paper, with the likes of Jurancon, Big Ginge and Kloth Of Utopia all arriving with decent form next to their names and while the former pair fought out the finish, My Cullen came out well in his own private battle for minor honours.

Despite being beaten 20 lengths, he showed enough to suggest he can be a force at a lower level in time and in a race where the favourite hasn’t run for a year, the second favourite has yet to see a hurdle in public and next in the betting comes from the point field, he might be capable of featuring a little better than the market suggests .

MY CULLEN – ½ point each-way@12-1

4.00 CARLISLE

TRAVAIL D’ORFEVRE (NAP) (best price 10-3) has really come into his own since stepped up in trip and with his victory on his latest display backing up the view he can prove a potent force in similar events in future, Nick Alexander’s grey can go well again at a venue that has seen him feature in all three of his three previous visits.

Having not raced beyond 2m4f before, it was a big ask for him to stay the marathon four-mile journey of the Borders National at Kelso two starts ago but he came through with distinction with a fine effort in third and his newfound stamina was very much the key component to his success at Ayr a month ago.

Wearing down Monochromix on the run-in at the Scottish circuit, the nine-year-old left the strong impression he has more to offer and with that win securing his place in the final of this series over today’s course in a month’s time, a solid effort on his return to the Cumbrian venue won’t do his long-term prospects any harm.

TRAVAIL D’ORFEVRE – 1-point win@10-3