Timeform UK SmartPlays: Thursday January 23

The first contest under consideration today is a staying handicap chase from Warwick (13:50) which could well go the way of Bally Sands. He matched the level of form he'd shown over hurdles when opening his account over fences here in March, and ran better than he had for a while when third in a handicap at Huntingdon three weeks ago. He remains 4 lb below his last winning mark and given that he is in receipt of plenty of weight from the others set to line up, he has every chance to return to winning ways. Franklin Roosevelt and Incentivise are both likely to be well suited by the particular demands of today's contest and may give the selection most to think about. 

Our next bet of the day comes at Fakenham in what looks another competitive handicap chase (14:30) in which Presented looks to have an excellent chance. He has not been out of the first two in his three starts for Brian Ellison and won well at Newcastle in November on the second of those occasions. He shaped as if the handicappers reassessment would not stop his progress on that occasion and would have won again last time at Musselburgh had he not bumped into a similarly unexposed type of Sue Smith's. Cheekpieces have been fitted today and he looks capable of proving better than his current mark. Although there are dangers in the form of Tony Dinozzo and Galway Jack, the selection is expected to put up a bold bid for his excellent trainer.

We remain at the Norfolk track for our final selection which comes in the handicap chase over 21 furlongs (15:30). Midnight Charmer has an admirably consistent record and will punish any lapses in the rest of the field but the vote goes to Bill The Lad who probably found the run coming too soon when failing to defy a penalty and Towcester last time. His debut win in handicap company had come at that track just a week prior in December, and given he's had a break now he remains unexposed on his current mark and can return to winning ways here. The other who may come into things is Cruising Bye who looks similarly unexposed. 

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Bally Sands @ 8.07/1 in the 13:50 at Warwick
Back Presented @ 3.39/4 in the 14:30 at Fakenham
Back Bill The Lad @ 5.24/1 in the 15:30 at Fakenham