Timeform UK SmartPlays: Tuesday 17 September

Back
Lord of The Alps - 14:30 Redcar

Lord of The Alps shaped well when second on his handicap debut at Beverley last month, going through the race as if ahead of his mark, but paying late on for a combination of early exuberance and making his effort earlier than ideal. That still represented comfortably the best effort of his short career to date, and with further improvement on the cards, he looks a good bet to go one better now back down slightly in trip, still potentially well treated from only 1 lb higher and representing the Mark Johnston yard that continues in top form (63% of runners performing to expectations).

Lay
River Cam - 14:00 Redcar

River Cam showed a fair level of ability when second on her first two starts, but there was less to like about the effort she produced to fill the same spot at Chelmsford last time, finding less than looked likely and ultimately no match for the winner. That represented a significant backwards step from the promise of her two previous outings, and the suspicion is that she could be vulnerable to a more progressive sort again here, with the newcomer Rebel Soldier Boy standing out as possibly the most likely to take the favourite's measure. He makes plenty of appeal on paper, a half-brother to three winners (dam also won at two), and the David O'Meara yard is well capable of readying one first-time-out.

Smart Stat
Tiger Crusade - 14:40 Yarmouth

23% - Jamie Spencer's strike rate at Yarmouth

Tiger Crusade cost €215,000 at the breeze-ups and duly offered plenty to work on when third on his debut here last month, clearly not lacking speed despite the stamina on his dam's side, travelling well before running green when the pace lifted (not knocked about). The drop back a furlong in trip shouldn't inconvenience him on that evidence, and he looks to have plenty in his favour in a weak enough race of its type, a likely improver for the in-form David Simcock yard, with the fine record of Jamie Spencer when riding at this venue also offering plenty of encouragement - he has ridden more winners at Yarmouth than at any other track in recent seasons, returning a level stakes profit of £53.43.