Martin Dixon of the Horse Watchers, the ownership group sponsored by Timeform, provides his assessment of Royal Zabeel.
Royal Zabeel - 18:45 Southwell, Saturday
First time out we were very pleased with ROYAL ZABEEL when he was runner-up at Newcastle. He'd been doing everything right going into that race to suggest he was up to being competitive and he ran accordingly.
He was just a little too fired up on the back of a five-month break and it wasn't until Ali [Rawlinson] was able to get him on the back of Zip, who went on to win, that he dropped his head and relaxed. I think that race will have taken a bit of the sting out of him and he'll definitely have come on for it fitness-wise as he took a big blow inside the final furlong, and he'll be better for it.
His last couple of bits of work have been positive. Mick [Appleby]'s horses have been quiet enough recently which would be a bit of a question, but he's working well, seems to have benefited from his last run and we'd expect that there's some more improvement in him.
It's a competitive race but it looks as if it's going to be run at a fast gallop which should suit, he's got a good draw and I don't see why he shouldn't be involved.
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