The Coral Racing Club's newest recruit makes his first start for the club this evening in the Class 5 Handicap (19:00) over a mile at Southwell.

Read our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and Sycamore's lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).

Raceday LIVE Preview

We're looking forward to hopefully seeing Sycamore continue his solid recent form on his first start for the Coral Racing Club this evening at Southwell.

Since moving to Scott Dixon from the Martyn Meade yard in 2021, the now seven-year-old gelding has raced 15 times, winning twice, with both of those victories coming over a mile, and the first of the two being over today's course and distance.

WATCH: Meet Sycamore – our new recruit for the flat season

Sycamore is set to run off a mark of 65 this evening, one pound lower than his first winning mark and only three pounds higher than his last one, which was three starts ago at Newcastle.

He's since come very close in his next two runs following that success, finishing a solid second on his penultimate start, before finishing just a length behind the eventual winner in 4th last time out.

Raceday Update from Scott Dixon

"We are very much looking forward to running Sycamore for the first time for the Coral Racing Club this evening. He is in great order leading into the race and he has eaten up this morning, which is always a good sign. Stall 14 is not end of the world, as he tends to be tucked away in the early stages. I think he has a great chance of finishing in the frame."

Owners for the Day and Prize Money

As winners of the Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive prize package for Sycamore's run at Southwell tonight.

Each winner, along with a guest of their choosing, will receive free entry to Southwell Racecourse, including exclusive access to Owners & Trainers areas. They'll have the opportunity to meet Sycamore and the Scott Dixon team, and even enter the parade ring before the race begins to be amongst all the other owners, trainers and jockeys. And last but by no means least, each winner will get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won by Sycamore.

Today's Class 5 contest is worth £7,100 in total, with the winner set to scoop £3,716.14 for their lucky owners.

2nd place: £1,743.76 | 3rd place: £871.17 | 4th place: £435.94 | 5th place: £217.26

Trainer and jockey form

Scott Dixon's last victory came exactly two weeks ago today, taking his total count to thirteen wins this year, with three of those coming at Southwell. In his career to date, he's won 113 races at Southwell, taking home more than £800,000 in prize money.

Scott and his team have had a very testing few months following the impact of Storm Babet in October last year, which resulted in their entire Southwell-based yard being submerged under water, including his stables and on-site accomodation for staff.

WATCH: Fighting the Floods with Scott Dixon

Tonight will mark the second time that Phil Dennis has taken the reins on Sycamore, with the pair last combining in 2022. The jockey has four wins to his name this year, all of which have come on the all-weather.

Timeform | VERDICT

Lots with chances so at the likely odds it is worth siding with KYNSA to capitalise on a handy-looking mark and make a winning start for her new stable. Great Blasket could emerge as the main danger to Kevin Philippart De Foy's new recruit ahead of in-form trio Sycamore, Monkmoor Pip and Streak Lightning.

Today's opposition

• Great Blasket leads the early betting in the race, having won once and placed five times in his last seven runs. He was last seen being beaten by a neck into second over course and distance twelve days ago and retains the headgear he wore for the first time in that contest. Kieran Shoemark rides him for the first time. 

• Top weight Streak Lightning returns to the mile trip for the first time in six runs, having mainly raced over seven furlongs recently. The gelding stayed on well to finish third last time out under James Sullivan, and he retains the ride this evening.

• Soames Forsyte lines up tonight having won twice, including a dead-heat over course and distance in December, and placed three times in his last seven runs. Daniel Muscutt takes over from Tom Eaves in the saddle for this race, as the latter is heading to Thirsk this afternoon. 

 

   19:00 SOUTHWELL – LATEST BETTING HERE   

We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 19:00 to watch Sycamore's first run for the club.