Our form expert Ben Linfoot is back with three selections for the ITV4 action from Ffos Las and Chelmsford on Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday January 11
1pt win Saunton Surf in 2.25 Ffos Las at 6/1 (Sky Bet, 888Sport)
1pt win Hat Toss in 2.40 Chelmsford at 9/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes, 14/1 bet365)
1pt win Art Of Diplomacy in 3.31 Ffos Las at 33/1 (Paddy Power)
Surf's up at Ffos Las
The cold snap saw off the ITV coverage last week but the powers that be have done their best to ensure we won’t have a terrestrial TV blank two Saturdays running by hastily arranging new fixtures at Ffos Las and Chelmsford this weekend, inspections depending.
With Wetherby called off very early the Grade 2 DragonBet Towton Novices’ Chase has been saved and rerouted to the Carmarthenshire venue with Ben Pauling’s Handstands, Dan Skelton’s Cherie d’Am and Jonjo O’Neill’s Saint Davy the most likely protagonists in the finish here.
Those three unsurprisingly head the betting and while it doesn’t really appeal as a betting proposition, Cherie d’Am might just be the one getting 7lb from the penalised Handstands.
I’d rather wait until later on the card to have a bet and division two of the DragonBet Still Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle at 2.25 has a nice shape to it as early favourite Jesuila Des Mottes looks beatable on her handicap debut.
Indeed, the top three in the betting at the time of writing, Jesuila Des Mottes, Diamatiste and Getaway With You, have a win record of 0/27 between them, so I'm happy to take the trio on with Warren Greatrex’s SAUNTON SURF.
This Sea Moon mare has at least won a point-to-point and a bumper, while she ran well on her return at Lingfield behind the in-form Golden Ambition in a race that has worked out well.
That was over three miles, as was her last run at Doncaster where she was sent off the 7/2 favourite only to finish fifth beaten 14 lengths. She's worth forgiving that run, though, as she was fresh and keen early, got shuffled back at a crucial point and then made a mistake three from home which effectively ended her challenge.
She's better than that, as she suggested on her seasonal return, and I like her dropping back to 2m4f here against a bunch of rivals who find it difficult to win.
The Verdict: Back SAUNTON SURF in the 2.25 Ffos Las
Take a piece of Art at 33s
Also at Ffos Las I like at chancy one at a big price in the Download The DragonBet App Handicap Chase with ART OF DIPLOMACY available at 33/1.
He’s risky because he’s once raced over fences in against established handicappers and the two-mile trip is pretty alien to him too, with two of his wins over hurdles coming over three miles and more.
However, I don’t mind his proven stamina considering Saturday’s conditions and there was enough in his debut effort over 2m5f over fences at this track last time out to give him a chance at a big price here (see the free video replay, below).
He jumped well on his fencing debut for starters, while he was entitled to need the run after eight months off. Despite that, he took up the running four from home, looking the likely winner when trading at 2.02 in-running on Betfair, before fitness told heading to the last.
That was encouraging and you can see why the Bowens have reacted to this unexpected opportunity by throwing him in a decent two-mile race off a low weight.
The Verdict: Back ART OF DIPLOMACY in the 3.31 Ffos Las
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Don’t Toss out Owen hopeful at Chelmsford
Finally, back James Owen's HAT TOSS in the bet365 Handicap over a mile at Chelmsford (2.40).
Owen’s yard have been banging in the winners on the all-weather in recent weeks and this horse looked well suited to Chelmsford when winning here off just 3lb lower three starts ago in a race that worked out well.
He was held up off a strong pace from a wide draw that day and came through to win, making the most of a smooth run through as he got cover from all sides.
From stall 10 things might well develop in a similar way here in a race that could be run at a good clip judging by the on-paper pace headed by Silent Move and Urban Sprawl.
That would suit Hat Toss, who wasn’t seen to best effect off a slower gallop over seven furlongs at Wolverhampton last time where the speed horses did for him.
This looks much more his bag and Adam Farragher is back on board for the first time since the pair teamed up to win here in November.
The markets are a bit chaotic given the 24-hour decs and bet365 are out on a limb at 14/1 while the next best is 9/1 at Coral and Ladbrokes. We'll take the 9s for the record, 14/1 is very fair and you might get double-figure prices elsewhere in the morning.
The Verdict: Back HAT TOSS in the 2.40 Chelmsford
Preview posted at 1610 GMT on 10/01/25
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