TimeformBlog

The National Hunt season is now in full swing and it is to Plumpton we head for the first of our selections, where Renee Robeson's Silver Wren makes her hurdling debut (13:20) after having had a couple of runs in bumpers last season. This grey daughter of Silver Patriarch showed the benefit of her debut experience when a staying-on third at Market Rasen in April and, being related to Rock Wren, a winner over three miles for the same connections, she is bred to improve for today's longer trip and tackling obstacles. The stable is in form, as showcased by a couple of winners last week and Silver Wren can go well at what are likely to be rewarding odds.

Kempton stages the other jumps meeting in the UK today, and the best bet on the card comes in the shape of the David Pipe-trained Beyond (2.40). A fair juvenile hurdler last season when with Evan Williams, Beyond made a winning start for his current yard when staying on strongly to take a Sandown handicap on the Flat in July and was not discredited when well fancied for the Cesarewitch on his latest outing. He looks capable of further progress over hurdles this year and, with his form on the level suggesting today's 21f trip should suit, he can underline that point at the first time of asking this afternoon.

Despite the main focus being on the jumps action in the coming months there are still plenty of winning opportunities to be found on the all-weather this winter and Lockantanks makes plenty of appeal in the 17:00 at Wolverhampton to make up for a couple of narrow defeats over course and distance recently. Just touched off by subsequent winner Blue Moon at the track on his penultimate start, the Michael Appleby-trained runner is better than the bare form of his fourth at Haydock last time as he was finishing well after being left with a lot to do. At his best on polytrack, Lockantanks is a thoroughly consistent performer and looks capable of going close once again.

Back Silver Wren @ 6.6 Plumpton 13.20
Back Beyond @ 2.82 Kempton 14.40
Back Lockantanks @ 5.3 Wolverhampton 17.00

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