The Daily Star’s Chief Tipster Jason Heavey reckons Harry Derham’s doughty hurdler will strike at Taunton on Thursday
BRENTFORD HOPE (3.25, nap) can stamp his class on the Royal Bath & West Show Handicap Hurdle at Taunton on Thursday.
The stalwart, trained by Harry Derham, won at Haydock in handicap company on his penultimate start before finishing only a length-and-a-half behind The New One in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The handicapper had to leave him alone after that and this represents a significant drop in class.
At Lingfield, FAR TOO FIZZY (2.33, trb) has a 10lb rise to overcome in the Bet £10 Get £40 With BetMGM Handicap, but there is a good chance he may be able to.
Previously he had only won one of nine starts before absolutely blowing his opposition away at Lingfield over six furlongs last month. He won by five lengths but was good value for double that and the handicapper has not missed him.
To offset most of the rise, though, David Loughnane has booked 7lb apprentice Conor Whiteley so he could still prove well in over today’s five furlong trip.
Loughnane and Whiteley also team up in the BetMGM Supports Safer Gambling Handicap with LEXINGTON JET (415, nb), who is aiming for a hat-trick.
Whiteley took over from Hollie Doyle last time out so knows the four-year-old well enough, and he can succeed again here.
At Chelmsford, another hat-trick seeker AL BAAHY (4.55) looks the best bet in the Valentines “Hands And Heels” Apprentice Handicap.
Trained by Kevin Frost, the seven-year-old has hit a rich vein of form with wins at Wolverhampton and Lingfield.
He went up 4lb for the first of his wins and is up another 2lb, but a horse in form at this level is usually worth sticking with.
Thursday tips
TAUNTON
1.05 Way Of Stars
1.40 Innamorato
2.15 Cooler Than Me
2.50 Call Me Arthur
3.25 Brentford Hope (nap)
4.00 Golden Son
LINGFIELD
1.23 Masqool
1.58 Spanish Voice
2.33 Far Too Fizzy (trb)
3.08 An Laochmor
3.43 Dubai Harbour
4.15 Lexington Jet (nb)
4.50 Woodrafff
LEICESTER
1.30 Grandad’s Cap
2.05 Mon Champion
2.40 Fortunefavorsdbold
3.15 Classical Sting
3.50 Rosscahill
4.25 Ideal Du Tabert
CHELMSFORD
4.55 Al Baahy
5.30 Manly Fireball
6.00 Aberama Gold
6.30 Crackalackin
7.00 Stay Salty
7.30 Oh So Perfect
8.00 Lequinto
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