Thoughts on Shamiana today at Southwell
Shamiana runs in the 100 at Southwell today (19th December). Richard Kingscote takes the ride in the mile maiden for fillies. We’ve been keen to get a race for Shamiana at Southwell for a while as her half brother thrived on the surface. She did a nice piece of work on Saturday and comes into the race in good form. Her most recent run was disappointing but was perhaps a case of running too soon after her previous good effort. She wears blinkers for the first time as one or two jockeys have questioned whether she gives her all. The trip is as sharp as she would want but there is nothing between a mile and a mile and three furlongs at Southwell so it seem sensible to take this option for her first run on the surface than leave her floundering with a more extreme test.
Shamiana will have to put up a lifetime best to match the form of a couple of her rivals best efforts. Winterwell who wears blinkers for the first time stands out on ratings, but that is based on French form prior to quite an absence and her first start in this country wasn’t an outstanding performance, so she is no good thing. Marble Statuette ran well on debut although was well beaten by the winner, ought to handle the surface and should improve from that experience.