'I'm excited to see him in handicap company' - who fancies their chances in Southwell's feature race?

Silver Samurai (grey): "He should have a squeak"Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

This is a seriously competitive race for the prize-money and there are in-form horses everywhere you look.

Chalk Mountain has won three of his last four. Harvard Sound, How Impressive and It Just Takes Time are bidding for hat-tricks, while Cruyff Turn, Noodle Mission, Lattaash, Run Boy Run and Woodstock have all scored since the start of August.

There could be a fair pace on. The three horses on a hat-trick have each successfully made all in recent times and so has Cruyff Turn, while old foes Run Boy Run and Street Kid were disputing the lead for much of the way when last seen in a nine-runner race at Newmarket.

In all likelihood punters are going to want a strong stayer on their side and those with proven form over further may be at a slight advantage.

Noodle Mission will have no worries about a thorough test of stamina at the trip, for all the handicapper might have finally caught up with him. Nor will It Just Takes Time, who saw out Leicester’s taxing uphill finish so well over 7f on heavy ground last time.

Of those at bigger odds, Chuzzlewit is worth highlighting for the in-form Kevin Ryan. He might be a brother to Commonwealth Cup winner Advertise, but has recorded his two best performances on Racing Post Ratings over Newcastle’s stiff mile.

This will be his first all-weather outing since he won off 1lb higher in March and his recent third at Ayr represented a step back in the right direction.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Marco Botti, trainer of Silver Samurai
He ran a good race two weeks ago at the track and we're running him back quickly because there aren't many options. He's got a decent draw [stall five] and is coming into the race well, so he should have a squeak.

Edward Smyth-Osbourne, trainer of Noodle Mission
He's back over the course and distance he won at during the Racing League. He's slightly higher in the handicap and it's a slightly higher grade, but he's proved he's up to this level. The ground at Newmarket was a bit soft for him last time and we wanted to give him another spin on the all-weather before his winter break. The draw [12] is not ideal but he won from a similar draw in the Racing League and he should be competitive.

Tom Clover, trainer of Harvard Sound
He's been training nicely. He's always wanted top of the ground and we ran out of options on the turf, so we've come here. I'm excited to see him in handicap company and I'd hope he'll be quite a nice horse.

Ruth Carr, trainer of Woodstock
He's badly drawn [11] but he has got form on the all-weather. He didn't enjoy the soft ground last time. He's up the handicap and has had a long season, but if things go right for him, he's quite talented.

Stuart Kittow, trainer of Chalk Mountain
He's been running really well. Things didn't go to plan last time as he ended up wide and he's the type to need a nice bit of cover. Hopefully, drawn in four, things will go his way this time. It's a hot race and he'll have to have kept improving.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz