Timeform UK SmartPlays: Saturday February 11

Timeform UK SmartPlays / Timeform / 11 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

The pick of today's SmartPlays comes at Kempton Park

"There doesn’t look to be much pace in opposition, so Den’s Gift should really get his own way in front under his 7-lb claimer, and at around [6.4] he’s just too big to go unbacked."

Three SmartPlays for today's meetings in the UK, all in the space of forty minutes....

The first of today's SmartPlays comes at Kempton, where Den's Gift will hopefully end a fairly long losing sequence in the mile handicap (16:10). Clive Cox's grey ran really well when third at Lingfield in January on his return from a break and is now 5 lb lower than for his last win, which came over today's C&D, albeit back in May 2010. There doesn't look to be much pace in opposition, so Den's Gift should really get his own way in front under his 7-lb claimer, and at around [6.4] he's just too big to go unbacked.

The second selection comes in the final race at Lingfield (16:30), a low-grade handicap over a mile and a half. The majority of the field have had plenty of chances, with one exception, Celtic Charlie, a 7-y-o with very few miles on the clock. Celtic Charlie built on an encouraging comeback at Kempton when winning at Lingfield last time and the form seems to be working out, with the third home Vertuex having won since and the runner-up Broughtons Bandit also doing his bit in finishing second again next time. Celtic Charlie travelled strongly that day, should have no trouble dropping back a furlong in trip and really ought to have too much for today's rivals off a basement mark of 49.

We head north for the final SmartPlay, up to Musselburgh's rescheduled meeting, and it comes in the last race (16:50) on what is an excellent card. There are a handful of interesting horses in the 2m 4f handicap hurdle, including top-rated A Bridge Too Far, but he faces no easy task trying to give weight to the unexposed Cape Dutch, who will benefit from the step back up in trip today. John Ferguson's gelding won a maiden and a novice in the north before showing improved form on his handicap debut at Cheltenham last time, finishing second to the well-treated Edgardo Sol despite the trip looking on the sharp side for him. A repeat of that Cheltenham form will see him in the mix, but it's to be hoped that there's more to come now he's back over further.

Timeform UK SmartPlays
Back Den's Gift @ [6.4] in the 16:10 at Kempton
Back Celtic Charlie @ [5.0] in the 16:30 at Lingfield
Back Cape Dutch @ [3.5] in the 16:50 at Musselburgh
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There were more profits for Timeform's TV Focus tipping service last week when six all-weather bets contained winners Emma's Gift (8/1) and Piscean (11/2).