Timeform Daily Racing Tips | Saturday 15 March

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Uttoxeter

1.50 0.5 pt ew – 11 Kamaxos

Less testing conditions than usual for this meeting and a short-priced favourite for the opener on Friday afternoon. Hidden History is certainly an interesting runner, just four starts into his career and having his first run for the Skeltons having previously been trained by Chris Gordon. It won’t be a surprise to anyone if he makes a winning start for his new yard (who have won this race twice in recent years), but at the same time he’s a tough one to be recommending at such a short price. At much longer odds there’s an each-way case to be made for Kamaxos. He hasn’t got properly got going so far this season after bleeding on his chasing debut back in November, but there have been definite signs on his last two starts that he’s on the way back and he’s now returned to the same mark as when a wide-margin winner at Sandown last season, backing up that form in a couple of big-field handicaps at good tracks subsequently. The fact that he’s a prominent-racer is also a plus, given that such tactics tend to pay dividends on the hurdles course here when conditions aren’t especially testing.

2.25 1 pt – 16 Chasingouttheblues

The case for Chasingouttheblues is simple. He’s a progressive young hurdler who was better than the result when upped in grade and third at Haydock on his most recent outing, keeping on well having bene badly hampered at the third last. That form was boosted in no uncertain terms by the performances of the first two Doddiethegreat and One Big Bang in the Pertemps Final on Thursday and, from just 1 lb higher, everything looks in place for him to put up another bold showing, hard to believe he wouldn’t be shorter in the betting if he was in a more fashionable stable.

3.00 1 pt – 1 Mr Vango

It is a slight concern that underfoot conditions mightn’t be sufficiently testing for Mr Vango to produce his very best, but otherwise everything is in place for him to continue climbing the staying chase ladder. A tough and genuine front runner, he’s 2/2 this season despite not getting the extreme test that always bring out the very best in him, really encouraging that he was able to overcome a drop in trip in the Peter Marsh on his latest start. He’s still fresh for this stage of the season, probably won’t have too much trouble getting to the front looking at the make-up of the field, and is a notably secure jumper to boot.

3.35 1 pt – 5 Latenightrumble

This is usually a well-contested race of its type and the latest renewal is no exception. Solid cases can be made for most of the nine-strong field, but at the prices it’s the improving Late Night Rumble that makes most appeal. He’s won only one of his four starts over fences so far but was very unfortunate not to make it two at Wetherby last time out, still to be asked for his effort in a narrow lead when slithering on landing at the last. He’d jumped really well to that point and, though this is undoubtedly a stronger race, it’s hard to believe we’ve seen the best of him yet.

Kempton

2.10 1 pt – 3 First Street

The similar race that Asta La Pasta and First Street contested over course and distance on Boxing Day looks by far the strongest piece of recent form on offer in this smallish field. Asta La Pasta finished second that day, nearly three lengths ahead of First Street in fourth, but the latter has a pull in the weights and, at these prices, is an easy selection. It’s true that First Street has been a bit of an underachiever, maybe related to physical issues that have seen him have several breathing operations over the years, and he’s yet fully to convince as a chaser, but that run on Boxing Day, when he kept on from a less-than-ideal position, did suggest that he may be figuring things out. He’s 2 lb lower now, fully 18 lb below the mark he defied for his best hurdles win, and if things do click then he’s certainly got the potential to run away with a race like this.

2.45 1 pt – 9 Aston Martini

A few of these might reasonably be called progressive and that makes for a competitive handicap. Saint Anapolino and Double Powerful are both prolific winners who’ll surely go well again, the former in particular likely to give a good account having scored over course and distance recently, but Aston Martini also arrives on the up and could be open to as much improvement as any. Twice a winner as a novice last season, she’s run well when second on two of her three outings last season, and her latest effort behind Altobelli in a quite valuable race at Ascot received a notable boost when that rival followed up in another good handicap there. Aston Martini will be suited by this longer trip – she’s out of a half-sister to the Grand National winner Rule The World – and perhaps first-time cheekpieces will provide her with an extra edge.

3.20 1 pt – 8 Bourbali

Bad finally put it all together when an impressive, wide-margin winner at this track last month, and a subsequent 9 lb rise looks fair, but things were set up for him that day, and there is a niggle that he could be the type for whom blinkers gradually lose their effectiveness. There’s no shortage of other Kempton on offer, including last year’s 1-2 Outlaw Peter and Flegtmatik, but Bourbali also has two course wins to his name and might well be primed for a big run. Admittedly, he’s got plenty of ground to make up on Bad from their run here last time, even with a pull at the weights, but Bourbali probably paid for racing too close to a strong gallop that day and, what’s more, shaped as if he might come on for the run having missed nine weeks. His prominent-racing style might be more of an advantage this time – he’s among the likeliest to make the running in a race that isn’t full of pace – and Joe Tizzard’s chasers are running well, as shown by a couple of excellent seconds in big Cheltenham handicaps already this week.

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