The cold weather is taking its toll on the jumps fixtures in Britain again this week, but there shouldn't be any problems on the all-weather at Southwell.

Racing Post tipster Graeme Rodway returns to mark your card with a pair of selections at the Nottinghamshire venue on Thursday.

1.15 Southwell 

Primo's Comet @ 7/1
1pt win

2.25 Southwell

Burnish @ 11/10
1pt win

Primo's Comet set to star

The 5f handicap (1.15) is a wide-open race and in-form runners like Angle Land and Level Up head the market. They look sure to run well again, but the best handicapped horse in the race is definitely the eight-year-old Primo's Comet and he may be able to roll back the years.

The Jim Goldie-trained gelding has dropped to a mark 9lb lower than when last successful at Musselburgh in July and gave notice he could soon cash in at Newcastle on his last outing.

Primo's Comet travelled powerfully through that race but found trouble everywhere he went.

Rider Paul Mulrennan simply couldn't find a clean run through and the selection finished on the bridle behind a wall of horses. He could hardly have been more eye-catching that day.

It was so eye-catching, in fact, that the stewards called Mulrennan and trainer Jim Goldie in after the race to explain the tactics and Primo's Comet was subsequently reported to be lame on his right-hind. That was evidently an excellent effort considering everything that went wrong.

Amie Waugh takes over from Mulrennan in the saddle here claiming 5lb and she had a spin on the selection at Newcastle last month. Primo's Comet is simply too well treated to resist when you include her allowance and it's worth taking a chance on him bouncing right back.

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Burnish can take another step forward

The talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap (2.25) is a hot race for three-year-olds and it looks like it might come down to Burnish and Too Much, who both look likely to improve.

James Horton has made a smart start to his training career and it's a good bet he can get more from his runner Too Much. But he will need to because Burnish showed a good attitude when scoring over course and distance two weeks and he can follow up for trainer William Haggas.

Haggas is superb with improving youngsters like this and Burnish put three low-key runs in maiden/novice company last season behind him when keeping on well to win here last time.

Burnish rallied well and was going away at the line when beating Aclaimed Art by a head and the front two pulled a length and a quarter clear of the remainder. While the form is untested and it's encouraging that the leaders put distance between themselves and the rest. 

Burnish has gone up only 3lb for that success and was quite weak in the market. There is every chance he can improve for that first run since October and this will be just his second outing since a gelding operation. It won't take much further progress for him to follow up. 

Graeme Rodway

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