18:00 Southwell Tips — Tuesday 7th April 2026

Our confident selection for the 18:00 Southwell is the very progressive **Magical Merlot**. This Ed Dunlop-trained gelding arrives here in superb fettle, clearly operating on an upward curve as evidenced by his **impressive 6-3-2-1 form line**. Having **won last time out** over a similar trip, he brings crucial winning momentum to the contest, and that recent success suggests he's now truly found his stride and is ready to tackle this next challenge.

As a **young three-year-old**, there's undoubtedly **plenty more scope for improvement** following his maiden victory, making him a fascinating prospect in this competitive event. Jockey Hector Crouch retains the ride, having guided him to success previously, a partnership that clearly clicks. His **consistency is also a major asset, having placed in three of his last four starts**, demonstrating reliability even before his breakthrough win. We fully expect him to follow up.

Given these strong indicators, Magical Merlot looks incredibly tough to oppose and is our confident pick to land the spoils. For those seeking an each-way alternative to complete the frame, **Captain Fox** holds solid claims and could be running into the places.