Friday Racing Tips: Mark Milligan is backing three on the opening day of the Betfair Tingle Creek meeting

• Mark Milligan has three selections on Friday

• Skelton chaser the day's best bet

• Mark also has bets in the pair of Grade 2 contests

• Place £10 bet on any sport on the Betfair Exchange to start your Free Bet Streak

• Get A Completely Free Horse Racing Bet for the Sandown Tingle Creek Festival

13:23 Sandown - Back Mount Tempest

The Betfair-sponsored Tingle Creek meeting at Sandown opens on Friday and there are some cracking contests on offer despite attracting relatively small fields.

The 2m Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase features a pair who are sure to be prominent in the betting, Venetia Williams' chasing debutant Intimate and Dan Skelton's Mount Tempest.

The former produced his best effort over hurdles, winning a novice handicap at Hereford when last seen in March and, in keeping with many from this yard, looks sure to make up into a better chaser.

It's hard to know exactly where an opening chase mark of 113 pitches him, but he'll have to go some to match the level of form shown by Mount Tempest, who has spent a lot of his time running in better races than this.

He shaped well on his return from seven months off last time and has his usual blinkers back on for this race, which he went without at Bangor on his reappearance.

This race represents a drop in class and I'm taking Mount Tempest to concede weight all round.

13:58 Sandown - Back Kingston Pride

The following Grade 2 Betfair Winter Novices' Hurdle over 2m4f features a trio of excellent prospects and it wouldn't be a surprise were any of them to come home in front.

Jonjo and A J O'Neill's Bill Joyce just shades favouritism at the time of writing, and he was most impressive when taking a Carlisle novice on his hurdling debut last month.

The testing conditions at Sandown won't hold any fears for him and he's clearly a big threat to all.

Paul Nicholls' Quebecois also produced a smart debut over hurdles last time, cruising home by eight lengths in a Chepstow maiden.

However, the jury is out as to exactly what the worth of that form is, though there's little doubting this French-bred is potentially another exciting prospect.

While respecting both Bill Joyce and Quebecois' chances, I'm siding with Nicky Henderson's Kingston Pride, who was also most impressive when getting off the mark at the first time of asking over timber at Uttoxeter last month.

A good sort on looks, he readily took care of Land Afar, who franked that form in no uncertain terms when winning at Ludlow last time.

Kingston Pride has also been awarded a large P for that effort by Timeform, suggesting he's open to above-average improvement.

This one could be yet another off the well-vaunted Seven Barrows production line to make up into a high-class prospect.

14:33 Sandown - Back Welcome To Cartries

The 3m Betfair Esher Novices' Chase also features some exciting prospects and the eye is immediately drawn to Paul Nicholls' chasing debutant Welcome To Cartries.

This six-year-old is a well-made, chasing type who won his sole start in Irish points before joining the Ditcheat outfit.

A winner once from four attempts over hurdles last season, it's pretty clear to me that he was just marking time over the smaller obstacles before getting a chance over fences.

He's also had a breathing op since last seen at Ayr in April, and it could well be significant that his master trainer is pitching him into this company first up rather than targeting a run-of-the-mill midweek novice contest at one of the lesser tracks.

As you'd expect in a race of this nature, there are several dangers, chief among them Resplendent Grey, who would have gone even closer to completing a hat-trick last time if not for making a couple of late errors.

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