Best bets for the day from Steve Ryder and Oddschecker Unlimited tipsters, as well as key races to follow.
13:55 Sandown
Steve Ryder runs through the key races on 13th February and names his best bets for the day.
There is jumps racing at Sandown, Leicester, Newcastle and Clonmel on Thursday 13th February while Chelmsford stages an all-weather meeting tonight.
Today’s Best Bets from Steve Ryder
Issam won on his chasing debut and the form of that has been boosted subsequently but I still prefer the chances of MOUNT TEMPTEST (best priced at 6/4).
The Dan Skelton trained eight-year-old has form figures of 131 at Sandown with his best form shown in blinkers. He ran better than market expectations on his reappearance at Bangor behind Jagwar without headgear before winning over this course and distance with blinkers re-fitted off a mark of 124.
The handicapper has raised Mount Tempest 5lbs for that success up to a career high mark of 129 but at his favourite track with blinkers on, I expect him to prove hard to beat.
14:15 Newcastle
This looks a competitive 0-105 handicap hurdle but preference goes to BENEFIT BEN (best priced at 5/1) who runs here 3lbs “well in” under a 7lb penalty. The Adam Nicol trained seven-year-old had been out of form on his previous three starts this season but bolted up by 10 lengths last time when fitted with a first-time visor at Sedgefield.
Benefit Ben appeared to relish the change of tactics in a switch of headgear and is worthy of a 10lb rise from the handicapper. Under a penalty instead, he can hopefully repeat those tactics despite this bigger field.
16:00 Newcastle
DEMOISELLE KAP (best priced at 11/10) won easily on her stable debut for Jennie Candlish last week over hurdles and she gets to run off the same mark over fences in this race. The seven-year-old won twice over fences in France so this switch back to chasing shouldn’t be a concern and she is clearly well handicapped off this mark given the dominance of her 9 ½ length success last time.
Demoiselle Kap is now rated 107 over hurdles and 102 over fences following that success but she can instead run here off a mark of 98 and she should prove hard to beat off top weight.
