With just over a week until the Cheltenham Festival, there is three interesting cards at Southwell and Lingfield over the jumps and Wolverhampton on the All-Weather on Monday.
However, with the Cheltenham Festival coming ever closer, I would advise punters to spend carefully this week and attempt to save their coffers for the Greatest Show on Turf next week.
Having said that, here are some selections for Monday's fare.
Polly to lead the way
Lingfield 14:20 - POLLY'S PURSUIT 11/8
Nicky Henderson's charge was impressive when scoring by seven lengths over course and distance in January and should follow up in this contest. This looks a pretty ordinary National Hunt Flat Race on the All-Weather and I was taken with the way she put the race to bed last time.
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Ned Curtis is an excellent young rider and he takes a handy 5lb off. The danger looks to be Kevin Ryan's Skip who should run well on her debut but she will have to be very good to beat the selection.
Lingfield 14:50 - FLEMCARA 11/8
Emma Lavelle's charge was an excellent second at Fontwell last time behind Philip Hobb's exciting Kayf Adventure. The five-year-old travelled well that day and despite being 14 lengths behind the winner, he stayed on best of the rest and warrants favouritism for this event.
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Related to decent horse Secret Squirrel, Lavelle has saddled three winners from her last nine runners, a strike rate of 33% and with Daryl Jacob aboard, he warrants a strong selection.
Lingfield 16:20 - MATROW'S LADY 7/4
Neil Mulholland is one of the shrewdest trainers around and he looks to have found an outstanding opportunity for his gelding in this contest. Ridden by excellent 7lb claimer Harry Reed who secured big-race success at Newbury on Saturday, Mulholland's son of Cloudings won by 20 lengths over course and distance in January and should appreciate the return to this track.
Village to be crowning glory
Southwell 15:00 - ROYAL VILLAGE 6/4 NAP
Richard Johnson has two rides at Southwell on Saturday and this lad looks to have a huge chance of gaining his second success under rules. A winner of a bumper at this track in November, the five-year-old ran well when third at Leicester in December on his first start over hurdles and will have learnt a lot from that run.
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The second that day has run since and the form has a very strong look to it. Tom George's Cruiseaweigh rates the main danger but has disappointed over hurdles, making Royal Village the horse to beat.
Me to be Simply the Best
Wolverhampton 15:40 - LACAN 2/1
Ralph Beckett's charge has been hugely disappointing in recent times, but this is a bad race and with Fran Berry aboard, he should go very close.
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He has been very disappointing in recent times for powerful owners China Horse Club but the drop in class to a Claiming Stakes gives him a massive chance to get his head in front and he should go very close in this event over an extended mile.
Wolverhampton 16:10 - SIMPLY ME 5/4 NB
A winning NAP for the Oddsbibleracing team last week, Tom Dascombe's charge looks to be a filly who is improving with every race. She won easily at Lingfield on Friday with Richard Kingscote always confident aboard the four-year-old daughter of New Approach.
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She won over course and distance here in October and avoiding a rise in the weights by running in this race, she should go very well off the same mark at Dunstall Park.
Words By: Danny Archer
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