Ffos Las, 17:07 - Back Hotel California E/W @ 12/113.00
The 0-65 handicap that closes Thursday's Ffos Las card is a little more interesting than most at this level and Grand Pier deserves to go into it as favourite given the improved form he showed when second over this C&D last time.
Although he went down by half a length to Livinthelight in that contest, the pair pulled a long way clear of the third and there's little doubt that a repeat of that form will see Grand Pier go very close.
However, there has to be a slight doubt given we haven't seen him since that outing, which came back in the middle of June (71 days ago), and these modest handicappers generally don't miss a chunk of racing in mid-summer unless a setback has been involved.
With that in mind, I'm going to take a chance on the unexposed Hotel California, who has had three qualifying runs and enters her first handicap from a basement mark of just 60.
David Menuisier's filly was only fourth of five over this trip in a Windsor maiden last time, but that was still a step up on anything she'd shown previously and there's every chance she can improve further now she takes to the handicapping ranks.
She also has a stout German pedigree to call on via the dam's side of the pedigree and, with some rain around in Thursday's forecast, I doubt Hotel California will be inconvenienced should the ground turn on the soft side.
Back Hotel California E/W in 17:07 Ffos Las
Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks
Item @ 7/1
Edward Sexton @ 7/2
Archers Bay @ 11/4
Influencer Man @ 11/4
Quest For Stars @ 5/2
Youdecide @ 15/8
Haffner @ 6/4
Mark's Bet of the Day: Southwell, 19:00 - Back Haaderr @ 9/25.50
I was with Haaderr in a similar handicap to this at Wolverhampton last week and was very confident of a big run, though that didn't transpire in the end as he was a non-runner on the day.
However, that could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as he didn't have a perfect draw at Dunstall Park and has fared much better with stall one here.
The son of Mohaather isn't fully exposed just yet - this will just his sixth career start - and while it's a tad disappointing that he hasn't fully gone on since winning a maiden at this track in October, it could be that a return to the all-weather sparks a revival.
The three-year-old didn't look at home on the Catterick undulations on his seasonal reappearance (and handicap debut) last month, though he was far from disgraced at Doncaster last time when fourth to Suspicious Mindz.
Haaderr comes into the race still open to improvement and the booking of champion jockey hopeful Billy Loughnane is an eye-catching one for an Ed Bethell yard that continues to fire in the winners (23% strike-rate in the last fortnight).
Back Haaderr to win 19:00 Southwell