Timeform UK SmartPlays: Thursday March 20

Starting in Wales, the 14:30 provides the day's most eye-catching bet. In a handicap as low-grade as it is open it could be worth taking a chance on Pearl. She is on the long way back having struggled in her later days with Alison Thorpe. At Taunton in November, Pearl put up her best performance in a while to finish fourth, that coming rather against the run of things at a sharp two miles given her previous form. Nearly four months have passed since and she's back at two miles, though Chepstow's undulations make for a much greater test, while a BHA mark of 81 is extremely tempting on her old form. There wouldn't need to be much improvement on Taunton to make Pearl well handicapped.

To Shropshire for our other two bets, the first of which runs at 16:40. Sonofagun has essentially taken quite well to chasing, bettering his hurdles form at the first attempt and improving again to win by a wide margin at Stratford last week. He's essentially at the handicapper's mercy in future, but here he carries just a 7-lb penalty, which almost certainly understates his achievement. This is a far better race, though few could claim to be quite as progressive as Sonofagun, so he would be a worthy favourite to follow up last week's success.

A rare journey into the hinterland of hunter chases comes at 17:10. This is a race typically lacking in depth in which Penmore Hill, the prolific young hunter, is preferred over handicap veteran Rockiteer. The latter has actually been in fair heart of late, winning from a BHA mark of 118 as recently as August, though his good runs tend to be fleeting and quite where he is after five months off is anyone's guess. Contrast with Penmore Hill, who has been both consistent and adaptable this season. He won a low-quality affair easily in May, returned in February with a solid effort in a good race at Musselburgh then ran out a comfortable winner at Towcester last time. A strong traveller and safe jumper, Penmore Hill should have no problem with Ludlow and looks a good bet to overcome his ostensibly superior rival.

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Pearl @ 18.535/2 in the 14:30 Chepstow
Back Sonofagun @ 5.14/1 in the 16:40 Ludlow
Back Penmore Hill @ 1.8810/11 in the 17:10 Ludlow