1.55 Ayr

JUNGLE ROOM (best price 4-1) was nicely backed to make a winning debut at Doncaster and although he failed to totally live up to market expectation, he certainly showed enough to suggest those who supported him weren’t a million miles off the mark. Dropped out by design due to his wide draw (stall 14 of 14), Kevin Ryan’s charge found himself in last position as the field hurtled past the three pole, but to his great credit, he managed to finish his race off with a good deal of purpose without being subjected to anything like a hard ride. Sure to have come on both mentally and physically for that initial outing, the son of Violence should be a good deal more competitive second time around in what, overall, looks a slightly weaker race on paper.

Jungle Room - 1pt e/w @ 4/1

3.55 Cartmel

Quite a few of these have questions to ask – including Flying Eagle after his poor run at Market Rasen last time out – so the safest play looks to go with BEDFORD FORREST (NAP) (best price 9-2), who at least has some solid recent form next to his name over today’s course. Having his first outing for new connections, Mike Sowersby’s inmate ran way above expectation when runner-up to the useful Verona Opera in a beginners’ chase over the C&D last time out and with the time figure respectable and useful yardstick, Smart Ruler (re-opposes) back in third, the form looks pretty watertight. Prior to that creditable effort, the Desert King gelding had also run well over the same unique course when claiming the silver medal again behind Martha’s Benefit in a hunter chase and with both performances achieved on soft ground, today’s underfoot conditions will be more to his liking than many other in the line-up.

Bedford Forrest - 1pt e/w @ 9/2

7.35 Ballinrobe

WHATS THE PLOT (best price 9-1) hasn’t got the most appealing form figures on the Flat of late, but what he has got in his locker is plenty of smart recent form over hurdles to bring to the table and, more predominately, over tonight’s track. An eye-catcher on his first start for five months in a 2m 1f handicap hurdle back in May, Arthur Moore’s inmate duly found the necessary improvement to record his third career success when returning to the Mayo venue several weeks later. Although he failed in his follow-up bid next time out at Downpatrick, he still ran with great credit behind track specialist, Andratx, and off the same mark when he was last successful on the level a year ago, the five-year-old makes plenty of each-way appeal.

Whats The Plot - 1pt e/w @ 8/1