Daryl Carter's Tips: 5/2 Well-handicapped Chief can boss his Market Rasen rivals.

• Two Tuesday selections

• Derham's second-season hurdler can dominate

• Alan King has a well-handicapped improver at Rasen

14:35 Market Rasen - No bet

I was keen to be against Lady Jago 11/102.11, who I expected to be enlisted as a short-priced favourite for this, and she was with other firms going odds-on. She won very well on her hurdling debut at Warwick 12 days ago, but those with experience didn't set the bar high, and the runner-up who held every chance before a blunder at the final hurdle was making her rules debut from more than 500 days off the track. Some of the cases for Lady Jago would include her lowering the course record. However, that record lasted less than two-and-a-half hours, and the boys beat it by more than five seconds in the next race over course and distance.

I had her closely running to 104 and thought she may be overbet now unbeaten in two starts over obstacles (point-to-point winner). I looked to Prince Imperial as the likely winner. He is hardly worth his rating of 119 during the winter months, but he will run to 110 if on a going day, and his rider Beau Morgan claims five off his back to negotiate much of his penalty, and Olly Murphy won this race last year.

Perhaps part of the case is that Lady Jago has the potential to surpass the bar set by the Murphy horse who is exposed, but she will need to improve on her latest run much more than the market suggests.

JJ Moon and Keepkalmandkarryon made their hurdling debuts, so they were quickly off the list.

Taras Halls is a risky proposition on the balance of his form, but he is fascinating on this seasonal debut with Harry Cobden booked. Today is just the second time Sue Smith has booked Cobden, and although the yard is typically known for its runners needing their first outing, this booking suggests otherwise. The pick of Taras Halls' form when behind (but no match for) Handstands and Champagne Twist in January is a stand-out in this race, and having reached the conclusion that running to 110 may win this, he can't be ignored. He is a seven-raced Maiden, but there won't be many better opportunities than this to score.

It was tough to pick the correct play to advise, whether a lay of the Skelton horse or back Taras Halls. Therefore, this is a race I will punt in rather than advise, but hopefully, sharing has helped one or two out.

15:05 Market Rasen - Back Court In The Act @ 15/82.88 1pt

What the novice hurdlers' achieved last year is still up in the air, but it might pay to take a chance and expect further improvement from them in the early part of the season.

Court In The Act - 15/82.88 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is one I wanted to get involved with. He started his season very well last term when landing a Fontwell Bumper by 11 lengths on his stable debut for Harry Derham.

His second-season hurdler may make a winning return to action with this sharp 2m likely to suit. His stamina was tested in the Novice Hurdle final at Sandown on his final start of last season, but he shaped well for a long way and pulled miles clear with a progressive Fergal O'Brien horse at Ludlow on his penultimate start.

He is lightly raced and fairly treated for this second handicap start, and today's race represents a big drop in class. He gets the vote to score the first time up over Bluegrass, and 15/82.88 or bigger is acceptable.

16:05 Market Rasen - Back The Doyen Chief @ 5/23.50 1.5pt (NAP)

Alan King's The Doyen Chief - 5/23.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - rates the day's best bet following a productive first season over hurdles, and he offers plenty of promise for this season over fences. The former point-to-point winner should be sound for his return to action, having won impressively in a bumper on his rules debut off a seasonal return in 2023 and last year, a short head at Ludlow narrowly denied him.

His hurdle form looks very strong, and he will eventually leave this mark of 125 well behind him.

The seven-year-old has already shown to be better going right-handed and had an excellent Novice Hurdle victory over the useful 136-rated Take No Chances (third in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow from that mark) at this venue last year. The drying ground is in his favour, and there is plenty to like about this promising prospect who starts this sphere on a low rating, offering scope for improvement throughout the handicapping ranks.

He must concede experience to some solid rivals in a good handicap chase for the grade, but it's very difficult to suggest he is not well treated, and backers can take confidence in his strong point-to-point winning form.

Gold Link, Hidden Depths, and Game For Glory all have something to recommend, but the Alan King horse gets the vote with everything in his favour to make a winning transition to fences. I'd happily play him as short as 2/13.00, but that is the basement price.

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