Timeform UK SmartPlays: Thursday February 21

The opening race at Sedgefield has attracted some interesting types, but it could pay to side with Alan Swinbank's Big Water. A useful bumper performer, Big Water made a highly satisfactory start to his hurdling career, travelling strongly and keeping on well in the closing stages, finding only Duke of Navan too strong. The fact the winner has subsequently gone on to make his mark at a higher level, winning the Morebattle Hurdle, bodes well for Big Water and he can get register a first success over hurdles.

Grouse Lodge may have been well beaten at Warwick last time, but he shaped better than the bare result and can get back to winning ways, dropped to two and a half miles in the 15:20 at Ayr. Stepping up in trip and grade having won a weak beginners' chase at Towcester, Grouse Lodge showed up well for a long way, challenging the eventual winner before weakening out of contention, finishing last of the three finishers. However, the winner, Godsmejudge, is heading to the Cheltenham Festival with solid claims, while the second, Keppols Hill, has also shown plenty of ability in his short career, so Grouse Lodge should find today's task against lesser rivals significantly easier and he can bounce back. 

Our final SmartPlay today comes from Kempton as we bank on Al Enbess (20:00) to make a successful start in handicaps. David Simcock's charge was well backed on his return from a four-month break when scoring at Lingfield earlier in the month and the manner of the victory suggests that an opening mark of 69 could be on the lenient side. Always travelling powerfully, Al Enbess picked up the running early in the straight and never looked like being passed, winning with plenty in hand, and there is plenty of improvement still to come from the three-year-old. 

Timeform UK SmartPlays:

Back Big Water @ 2.962/1 in the 14:10 at Sedgefield
Back Grouse Lodge @ 2.35/4 in the 15:20 at Ayr
Back Al Enbess @ 2.226/5 in the 20:00 at Kempton

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