Steve Ryder is back with three tips for today's Racing Action
14:25 Uttoxeter
Saint Davy is respected in his hat-trick bid but preference instead goes to LORD SNOOTIE (best priced at 11/4) who had his form boosted at the Cheltenham festival. The Christian Williams trained seven-year-old finished 6th in the valuable Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Crambo and Gowel Road and Bold Endeavour who both ran well in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle.
Lord Snootie disappointed at Wincanton on Boxing Day but bounced back to finish 2nd at Haydock behind Cuthbert Dibble beaten only ½ length. That rival boosted the form by finishing 3rd in the Pertemps Handicap hurdle off a 6lb higher mark and Lord Snootie runs here off only a 3lb higher mark.
14:45 Kempton
FLEGMATIK (best priced at 11/4) has form figures of 1121 at Kempton on ground better than soft and he should prove hard to beat in this race. Dan and Harry Skelton had a fantastic Cheltenham festival with four winners and a second place and they bid to win this competitive 0-150 handicap.
The nine-year-old beat the Ultima Handicap Chase winner Chianti Classico over 3 miles here on his penultimate start off a mark of 137 before finishing 4th on soft ground here off a mark of 140 on soft ground last time.
Flegmatik runs here off the same mark of 140 but will crucially encounter better ground on this drop in trip to 2m4½f. He faces Outlaw Peter for Nicholls and Cobden but I would be surprised if he were beaten.
16:30 Kemptom
KAMSINAS (best priced at 11/4) is more exposed in comparison to both Be Aware and Il Pino but if he runs up to his official rating of 130 then he should prove hard to beat in this race.
The Fergal O’Brien trained seven-year-old won on his hurdling debut at Worcester before finishing 2nd behind Lookaway in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham in October. He beat Making Headway at Haydock in Haydock before finishing midfield in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.
Kamsinas looked outpaced over 2 miles in the Betfair Hurdle over 2 miles last time so this step up in trip to 2m5f for the first time looks a good move and he should prove hard to beat if he bounces back to his earlier season form.
