Horse Racing Tips: Trip and conditions look perfect for Colonel Keating

Colonel Keating can break his maiden tag today

Back Colonel Keating @ 11/4 in the 13:50 Lingfield

Richard Rowe runs his eight-year-old who pulled up on his seasonal return after a break of 283 days over today's course and distance. But Colonel Keating bounced back from that performance to go down narrowly over two and a half mile here last month. That was a big step in the right direction and he should be much happier back up in distance today. This will be his sixth start over fences, and while he is yet to get his head in front he will relish this heavy ground and with Niall Houlihan's 7lb claim in mind, despite his 3lb rise he looks the one for me.

Hang Tough for Jonjo O'Neill is rightly the market favourite for this race. The six-year-old lived up to his name and showed a great attitude after making a blunder late on last time out but then rallied to make a winning start over fences over this course and distance three weeks ago. The concern is he gets a 7lb hike in the weights for that effort and this looks tougher.

Glajou can notch up another winner for Nicholls

Back Glajou @ 5/2 in the 13:00 Southwell

It's difficult to oppose Paul Nicholls' Glajou, who went extremely close on chasing debut in a hot Chepstow event recently. He has the cheekpieces fitted today to try and keep him focused, he's 1lb lower for today's assignment and he'll have his ideal conditions. It's still early days for him and further progress should be forthcoming from this promising four-year-old.

An interesting runner is Shanacoole Prince for Kim Bailey. This point/novice hurdle winner switches to fences for the first time today on the back of a 362 day break. I just think there are too many questions to be answered about the seven-year-old today and I think Glajou will be too good.