Daryl Carter's Tips: 4/1 Bet on Blue to bounce back at Bangor

• Shan Blue can bounce back at Bangor

• Look to a Local Hero to score at Lingfield

• Keep an eye on the debut of Venetia's French recruit

13:25 Bangor - Back Shan Blue @ 4/15.00 1pt (NAP)

This can go to class act Shan Blue - 4/15.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - for who this is a welcome rest bite from the competitive action he saw last season. His Ascot third on his latest outing 270 days ago is easily the best form on offer in this contest, and a chance is taken that last year's winning yard (with a first-time outrunner) can land this again.

Interestingly, connections have persisted with this once former smart performer and the headgear that saw two bounce-back performances in a lightly raced season last term is on for this reappearance. He has won fresh in the past, and he was 20 lengths ahead in the Charlie Hall on his seasonal return at Wetherby in 2021.

This is the best opportunity the ten-year-old has had for some time, and today's race is more like a 0-140 rather than the 0-150 advertised. I suspect connections have had a clear run with him in the build-up to this race for the first time since his Charlie Hall fall in 2022, so he is expected to gain a deserved victory.

Back the selection at 4/15.00 or bigger.

13:37 Lingfield - Back Local Hero @ 15/28.50 1pt

Local Hero - 15/28.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - has seen a combination of returning from a break and to the AW beneficial on two occasions, and today could be the third in a winable race.

I want to be against the favourite Bobby Bennu, who ran an average race at Southwell last time. He has been underpriced because the winner was thrown, but the reality is he only beat the bunch behind by a head. He looks handicapped to the hilt.

Local Hero is entirely unexposed on the all-weather, and there is little doubt that he has run his three best races in this sphere. He racked up two wins at Kempton, a defeat in second to a smart rival at Wolves, and he was better than the bare result when caught out for pace in a sprint finish at Newcastle in June. He returns from a break under Sean Levey at a track that usually sets up well for a closer.

The three-year-old has only had a handful of starts, and there is more to come from him, so against mainly exposed rivals, he makes plenty of appeal at 6/17.00 or bigger.

15:35 Bangor - Back Lemoncello @ 7/18.00 0.5pt

It's well worth keeping an eye on Venetia Williams' new French recruit Lemoncello--8/19.00 currently on the Betfair Sportsbook--who was consistent in France last year and has been allowed to run with his French rating of 122.

The five-year-old stormed home in a chase race at Fontainebleau in October 2023 over Nuit Bleue, who was second on her debut to Lossiemouth. Nuit Bleue is rated 109 in France, but that was a career-best from the selection. His previous effort at Lyon Parilly was a five-length second to Super Quartz, rated 128. The selection was caught late, having gone for home too early, but was attempting to give the winner six pounds. The third is a subsequent scorer, and Super Quartz beat Joseph O'Brien's 141-rated Jordans when landing a Listed contest next time.

Venetia Williams has a good record with new French recruits' first outings following an absence, and Lucy Turner claims five off his back, making him look attractively weighted effectively off 117.

There are no real improvers in this field, so this could be ripe for a turn-up. The market will likely guide, but it hasn't always been the best judge for these types, and 7/18.00 or bigger is acceptable for a small win-only bet, but I won't let a drift put me off. I feel it's boom or bust with this one.

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