Sedgefield Racing Tips: Take Centre Stage ahead of his mark

• A Sedgfield NAP and Next Best from Timeform

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Sedgefield Nap - 13:50 - Back Take Centre Stage

Take Centre Stage remains a maiden, but he proved a different proposition sent chasing for the first time, shaping like the best horse at the weights but paying the price in the closing stages for an overly-aggressive ride.

He was around four lengths clear of the winner and 15 lengths clear of the eventual runner-up jumping two out and began to tie up soon after, blundering the last and understandably finishing tired.

Take Centre Stage goes in first-time cheekpieces now and is taken to build on his promising start over fences from a 1 lb lower mark.

Sedgefield Next Best - 13:20 - Back Harper Valley

Harper Valley improved with each start over hurdles earlier in the year, strong in the betting when opening his account at the fourth attempt in a novice hurdle at Hexham in May.

He didn't need to progress much on what he'd already shown, but he travelled and jumped fluently and had more in hand than the official margin suggests. Harper Valley has been allotted what appears to be a fair opening mark and he is a horse to remain positive about now handicapping.