Timeform Radio Tips: Tuesday September 30

Dan Barber
30 September 2014

Dan's nap of the day runs at Sedgefield later

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Timeform's Dan Barber takes up punditry duties this afternoon and advises his two best bets for the action...

"Lower down the chasing spectrum is Mac’s Grey, but nonetheless the Ian Williams-trained grey appeals as the best bet of the day..."

If anyone of a jumps persuasion who's drifted off during the summer 'lull', then today's Chepstow card should act as an alarm to end the slumber. On one hand the quality is higher in parts than for most midweek meetings in recent weeks, plus there's the simplistic point that it's Chepstow; one of Britain's leading National Hunt courses staging its first fixture since April.

The novice handicap chase at 15:40 provides the day's feature, and despite concerns over whether connections may have their eye on more valuable prizes later in the autumn from this sort of mark, Carole's Destrier simply has to be backed at morning prices. Carole's Destrier improved into a useful novice in his first season over hurdles, highlighted by a win in a strong twenty-runner handicap at Kempton in the spring, but chasing has always promised to be his real calling - he's a well-made type out of a full sister to the same stable's high-class staying chaser Midnight Chase - and it's no surprise he's making a switch this early rather than marking extra time over timber. Barton Stacey arrives in red-hot form, but he may get punished if exhibiting the same laziness he showed when winning at Worcester provided Carole's Destrier is on his game, and a bigger danger may come from Creepy, likewise a chasing type who retains potential for better, albeit one with stamina queries to answer and a poor end to last season to put behind him.

Lower down the chasing spectrum is Mac's Grey (Sedgefield 17:10), but nonetheless the Ian Williams-trained grey appeals as the best bet of the day. The market is dominated by Jewellery, who ran a blinder on her chasing bow behind an unexposed rival in Famousandfearless at Plumpton. She endured a hard race, however, and now has to prove she can cut the mustard back at the minimum trip. At the prices, she has to be taken on, and Mac's Grey is the ideal candidate; he hasn't been with his excellent stable for long, has got better with each run for them and is now able to race off something closer to his proper mark. Tellingly, even from further out of the weights here last time, he looked just about the most likely winner when hampered and hitting the deck rounding the home turn. He's well worth backing to make amends.

Recommended Bets
Back Carole's Destrier in the 15:40 at Chesptow (Nb)
Back Mac's Grey in the 17:10 at Sedgefield (NAP)