Quotes and analysis as 'Saturday' horse catches the eye in Southwell highlight

2.55 Southwell
Brand Activation @ signsolutions.org Handicap Hurdle | 3m½f | 4yo+ | Sky

It’s hard not to be drawn to Goodbye Dancer, who has contested plenty of ‘Saturday’ handicaps during his career.

He possesses plenty of winning form on good ground, and is 3lb lower than when landing a Sandown handicap hurdle in March 2017 off 133.

Dropped 4lb since finishing down the field in the Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle at Kempton in March, he looks likely to have been primed to exploit a mark of 130 by Fergal O’Brien, who has sent out three winners since jump racing’s resumption.

Rhythm Is A Dancer held every chance when third to Hunters Call and Kentford Heiress over 2m4½f at Southwell earlier this month.

Trainer Fergal OâBrienHuntingdon 9.2.17 Pic: Edward WhitakerCredit: Edward Whitaker

He has been put up 1lb for that defeat, which seems unfair. If you back him you are banking on this step back up in trip squeezing a bit more out of him.

Neither of the veterans, Theatrebar or Jacks Last Hope, can be ruled out.

The former goes well at the course and races off a 3lb lower mark than when tenth of 12 on his seasonal reappearance.

That was his first run since September, and he could well have needed it.

Jacks Last Hope, a prolific winner during his career, landed a similar race at this track almost three years ago by five lengths from Kalifourchon.

He competes off 3lb lower now and, while he is an 11-year-old, there appears no evidence of any significant reduction in ability.
Race analysis by Richard Birch

Resumption form

Five of the six trainers involved have had runners since the resumption of jump racing in Britain on July 1 – Chris Grant is the exception – and Paul Nicholls has made a fast start with five winners from 19 runners.

Dan Skelton and Fergal O'Brien have three winners each, with Graeme McPherson also on the board early with one winner.

What they say

Chris Grant, trainer of Jacks Last Hope
He's won 11 races now, he's a grand horse and we've had a lot of fun with him over the years. He goes home for the winter months and comes in for the summer because he likes decent ground. He's as fit and well as he can be for his first run of the season so hopefully he'll run a big race. We've said the last two years we might retire him but we keep bringing him back and as long as he keeps enjoying it and holds his form we'll keep going.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Soupy Soups
He ran well at Wincanton two runs ago. Southwell hurdles are small fences and for his first run of the season it'll be a nice little change for him. He just seems to always need his first run so we said we'd try something different this year.

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Goodbye Dancer
The wheels fell off after he fell [on New Year's Day] so hopefully he's had a nice break, has freshened up and will have a good comeback. He might improve a little bit for the run but it's a nice opportunity for him to get his confidence back in a nice race.

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