Today on Sky Sports Racing: Roger Varian’s Manaafith looks to book All-Weather Championships Finals Day spot with Southwell win | Racing News
The New Year on Sky Sports Racing kicks off with All-Weather Fast-Track Qualifier action from Southwell, all live from 2.16pm.
3.56 Southwell – Shadwell’s Manaafith tops Fast-Track Qualifier five
Powerful owners Shadwell kept a handful of notable horses in training this winter for an all-weather campaign and one of the most exciting of those is Roger Varian Manaafith.
She will be aiming to follow up last month’s impressive victory at Wolverhampton, taking on four rivals in the It’s Time To Turn To talkSPORT Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (3.56), a Fast-Track Qualifier for All-Weather Championships Finals Day on April 7.
A winner of all four of her starts on the artificial surface, she should prove hard to beat under Jim Crowley.
Trainer Rae Guest won this last year and sends the in-form Aramis Grey among the opposition.
4.56 Southwell – Hat-trick seeking Fine Wine takes on Alligator Alley
Seven gather for a cracking renewal of the Class 2 Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap (4.56), featuring a trio of in-form horses looking to extend their winning runs.
Both Fine Wine and Alligator Alley arrive seeking respective hat-tricks, the former rapidly progressing since returning from injury for local trainer Scott Dixon.
Alligator Alley has twice finished behind Fine Wine in recent months so will need to overturn that form line to get his head in front for David O’Meara.
Leading all-weather rider Kevin Stott is booked to ride King Of Bavaria, who makes a first start for Mick Appleby after a move from Aidan O’Brien.
Fine Wine in winning action on the turf at York in May 2022
5.56 Southwell – Rikona goes for back-to-back wins
Closing out the eight-race card is a competitive talkSPORT Download The App Fillies’ Handicap (5.56), where Cappoquin tops the weights for George Boughey.
She bolted up on stable debut at Wolverhampton last month before following that with a good effort in fourth 11 days ago.
Kevin Philippart de Foy’s Rikona looked more than capable of recording another victory when winning comfortably in a first-time visor at Lingfield on December 7 and now steps up in class.
Clive Cox’s Mille Miglia is the only other last-time-out winner in the field, arriving after a smart performance over the mile-and-a-half at Kempton in November.
New Year’s Day racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from Southwell live on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday, January 1.
