Thursday’s UK racing tips come your way from meetings at Ffos Las, Wincanton and Chelmsford on 1 February.
FFOS LAS
Race 1 – TEDLEY 13/10
TEDLEY came home fourth when racing from mid-division in a 2m3f maiden hurdle at Warwick nineteen days ago and looks capable of registering his first victory.
River Voyage won a point-to-point at Dromahane in Ireland in December 2022 and is expected to deliver a big effort on his stable and Rules debut.
Gouazec and I See The Sea I should also enter your calculations.
Race 3 – TUNE IN A BOX 13/10
TUNE IN A BOX delivered a victory when contesting a novices’ handicap hurdle at Wetherby a week ago and is in a strong place to land his third career success.
Bob Mac followed up two second place finishes with a third in a selling handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter and a bold show expected.
Balkardy rates highly on the back of four consecutive second place finishes this campaign including three times at this venue.
Slip Road took a step forward when second in a handicap hurdle at Herefore and is likely to challenge for victory.
Race 5 – CAST’S TASHA 91/100
A recent double at Fontwell advertised the excellent recent form of trainer Ben Clarke and the Dorset handler is expected to add to his tally with CAST’S TASHA.
The Westerner mare rounded off last season with a deserved win at Chepstow and while she has failed to add to her tally so far this winter, she has run three fine races in defeat.
Heavy ground holds no fears for the seven-year-old and a slight ease in class can do the trick in the Discover Golwg Gwendraeth At www.dandara.com Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase.
RACE 7 – MUMBLUES 1/1
MUMBLES can notch his second win in the space of eight days in the Check Out Golwg Gwendraeth At www.dandara.com Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle.
The Evan Williams-trained seven-year-old bolted up by 16 lengths at Chepstow last week and a 7lb penalty, less Conor Ring’s 3lb claim, is unlikely to be enough to stop him following up if he turns up in the same form.
WINCANTON
Race 2 – BRAVE JEN 2/1
BRAVE JEN was always likely to find life too tough in the G1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury last time in late December.
However, the Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old should take some beating if reproducing the form that saw her go down narrowly in a Listed event at the same venue earlier that month.
Betty’s Tiara could be the biggest danger if building on her pleasing hurdling debut second at Hereford four weeks ago although decent bumper performer Larchmont Lass could still come good over hurdles.
Goodtimecrew rounds out the remainder.
Race 4 – FIRE FLYER 1/4
FIRE FLYER appears to have been found an excellent opportunity to open his account over obstacles in division two of the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Novices’ Hurdle.
The Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old won an Ascot bumper on his racecourse debut last season and while he was a little disappointing on his next start at Newbury, he has put together two excellent runs in defeat so far this term.
Fire Flyer was done for a turn of foot by the classy Brechin Castle on his reappearance in Listed company at Cheltenham in November, while there was no disgrace in finishing second to another exciting prospect in subsequent Grade Two winner Gidleigh Park on his hurdling debut at Newbury last month.
He still looked a little inexperienced when push came to shove on the latter occasion and with further improvement likely, the Shantou gelding should prove extremely hard to beat.
Race 5 – TAKE YOUR TIME 18/10
Nicholls and his title-chasing stable jockey Harry Cobden are also expected to find the target with the hat-trick-seeking TAKE YOUR TIME in the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Handicap Chase.
Having seemingly lost his way over the smaller obstacles, a relatively late switch to fences for this recently-turned nine-year-old appears to have turned his career around.
He was good value for the winning margin of half a length when making a successful reappearance and chasing debut at Newton Abbot in October and again showed his liking for testing conditions when following up over this course and distance last month.
An 8lb hike makes life tougher, but Take Your Time is clearly in rude health at the moment and is sure to be bang there at the finish.
Race 6 – LALOR 5/4
Former G1 novice hurdle winner LALOR hasn’t been seen since winning a handicap chase at Newbury 670 days ago but he looks like a notable recruit to the hunter chase sphere.
He can get the better of the recent Newbury handicap chase fourth Goose Man, who represents a stable operation at an impressive 36% strike-rate over the last fortnight.
Lieutenant Rocco has his quirks about him but certainly has the ability to play a major role on his hunter chase debut.
Myth Buster completes the shortlist.
CHELMSFORD
Race 1 – CERVETTO 67/100
It looks tough to oppose CERVETTO, who escapes a penalty for making a successful handicap debut over this trip at Lingfield six days ago.
He can follow up at the chief expense of recent course and distance winner Conquest Of Power, while Chola Empire likely needed the run when sixth over seven furlongs at Lingfield in December and could be set for a better showing here.
Race 2 – MOONFIRE 9/2
MOONFIRE can make it third time lucky for Charlie Appleby.
While not one of the Moulton Paddocks handler’s brighter lights, the daughter of sprinting star Blue Point has shown enough in her two starts so far to suggest a minor heat such as the New Holland Fillies’ Novice Stakes is within her grasp.
She finished third as a hot favourite on her Wolverhampton debut in November before filling the runner-up spot when upped up from six to seven furlongs at Lingfield last month.
Given how keen she was on the latter occasion, a return to the shorter trip is viewed as a positive move by connections.
Race 4 – TWILIGHT MADNESS 9/2
A tricky Class Four handicap sprint, but the drop back to the minimum trip will pose no issues for TWILIGHT MADNESS and he may well follow up a recent success over six furlongs at Lingfield AW given he remains feasibly treated off the mark.
Level Up battled on well to score by a nose over this distance at Lingfield last time and commands respect from stall two.
Last-start course and distance runner-up Pop Dancer cannot be left out of the equation and Reigning Profit should go well following back-to-back placings in handicap company over five furlongs at Southwell.
Race 6 – ANGEL OF ANTRIM 5/1
ANGEL OF ANTRIM didn’t run badly when third over at Wolverhampton last time and just edges the vote with the first-time visor a potential catalyst for improvement.
It will likely prove best to put a line through the recent effort of Deed Pole and he’s better judged on the narrow victory he produced over 1m at Lingfield AW in December.
H Key Lails is only 1.1lb above his last winning mark and needs to be included at Class Six level.
