Today's Racing Tips: Take a Crooked Path to the winner's enclosure

Mark's Bet of the Day: Fontwell, 13:44 - Back Crooked Path @ 5/42.25

3

Crooked Path (Ire)

• J: Callum Pritchard
• T: James Owen
• F: 5262331-3

• SBK 5/4
• EXC 2.54

I spoke in my previous column about how much I respect James Owen's talents as a trainer and he provides the day's best bet in the opening conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Fontwell.

Crooked Path hasn't been with the Owen yard all that long but is already showing the traits of improvement that so many who join his stable tend to exhibit, both on the flat and over jumps.

Previously trained by Denis Hogan in Ireland, Crooked Path took an age to get off the mark over hurdles, but has flourished on the level in three starts for his current trainer before also running well back over timber when third at Market Rasen last time.

That was a much stronger contest than the selection finds himself in here, with the runner-up that day going on to run well in occupying the same finishing position on his next start.

This race represents a steep drop in grade for Crooked Path and I'm confident he can give us a winning start to the day under Callum Pritchard.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Blue Brother @ 9/1
Ugo Bingo @ 6/1
Star Of Mali @ 11/2
Treble Bass @ 7/2
Brilliant Star @ 9/4
Midnight Media @ 13/8
Rock Montreal @ 11/8

Perth, 14:30 - Back I Wish You @ 10/34.33

5

I Wish You (Fr)

• J: Patrick Wadge
• T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore
• F: 64/524313-

• SBK 3/1
• EXC 4.1

The new jumps season may not be all that old just yet, but the Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore team have wasted no time in hitting the ground running, hitting at a 26% strike-rate in the last 14 days, while they had a particularly fruitful weekend with two winners and two seconds from four runners.

That bodes well for the claims of I Wish You in this handicap chase, who returns from a break having last been seen finishing third a strong-looking contest at Ayr.

This winning hurdler made a smooth transition to fences last season, winning once and making the frame three more times and that Ayr form has a really sound look to it.

With the likes of runners from the Skelton and Olly Murphy yard in opposition, this race will be no gimme, but I Wish You is still unexposed over the bigger obstacles and looks just the sort that thrives for this yard.

With just four chase starts under his belt, he can only get better as he gains in experience.

Southwell, 18:30 - Back Distillate @ 7/24.50

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Distillate

• J: M. P. Sheehy
• T: Adrian McGuinness, Ireland
• F: 700B0388

• SBK 7/2
• EXC 4.8

Irish trainer Ado McGuinness has done well on his British handicap raids in this season (18% S/R), and he sends an intriguing runner all the way over to Southwell for what is just a low-level contest.

Although this daughter of Havana Grey hasn't won for a while, she's run well often enough this season to suggest she's still up to playing a big hand in modest contests and she comes here having dropped 6lb below her last winning mark.

That win came on the beach at Laytown last season, and she also ran well to finish third at that venue last month too. Her last two efforts have been poor, but both came on grass and there's a suspicion that she's just a better performer away from turf nowadays.

This class 6 contest really won't take much winning and we can rest assured that McGuinness isn't just sending Distillate over the Irish Sea for the good of her health.

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