Timeform UK SmartPlays: Sunday July 21

In one sense we don't have to wait long for our first bet, which comes in the opener at 14:20, but in another we are as it's a low-grade slog over 27 furlongs. Improvers are unsurprisingly thin on the ground, which makes the case for Dreamsoftheatre all the more compelling. He's a fairly typical Jonjo O'Neill charge, being a slow learner for the yard (point winner for previous connections) before swiftly improving for the switch to handicaps, rather catching a tartar when second here last time. The extra distance looks likely to help Dreamsoftheatre and, assuming there's not another lurking blot in this field, he should get off the mark.

The handicap hurdle at 15:50 is probably the strongest of the day, evidenced by the fact that Castlemorris King, who'd be a solid option in most heats at this time of year, is relegated to a mere danger to selection Bright Abbey. Where Castlemorris King is a solid improver, Bright Abbey is potentially bounding forward, winning a novice here in good fashion and not at all disgraced when second to Cool Macavity since winning a handicap from 13 lb lower than what he races off today. That last fact might be enough to put some off, but look a little deeper and you'll see that the horse he beat into second now races off a mark 26 lb higher: his name is Castlemorris King.

Our final bet is a demonstration of how much of a positive being in good form normally is in the summer. Chilbury Hill (17:20) has raced 56 times, is lazy and an occasional sketchy jumper, but he's won his last four completed starts and yet still hasn't reached a career-high mark; you certainly wouldn't back against him reaching those heights again such has been his progress for the Tim Vaughan yard so far. Up against a rum bunch of sub 100-rated horses, Chilbury Hill should be backed at anything north of 2.5.

Timeform UK SmartPlays
All at Newton Abbot
Back Dreamsoftheatre in the 14:20
Back Bright Abbey in the 15:50
Back Chilbury Hill in the 17:20  

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