Huntingdon, Monday 25 May: Tips and Best Bets

Huntingdon, Monday 25 May: Tips and Best Bets

A modest six-race card at Huntingdon on good to firm ground, with the sun out and the track riding quick. Small fields dominate, which keeps the each-way angles limited, but there are some genuinely interesting puzzles to unpick. Three races stand out for punters with an opinion.

12:30 — Oddschecker Free Bets Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (3m1f)

Selection: Another Day Out (4/5, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

The odds-on price is short for a jumps race, and that fall on her chasing return 18 days ago will give some punters pause. But strip that out and the angle here is compelling. Another Day Out won over this exact course and distance in March, off a mark just 3lb lower than today’s. She handles good ground, Martin Keighley’s yard has had one winner from five runners in the past fortnight so the stable is not ice cold, and the switch from cheekpieces to an eyeshield is an interesting headgear tweak rather than a panic move.

The Wise Traveller is the only one who commands genuine respect. He likes good ground, his mark is drifting downward, and he beat Alan Bresil recently. At 9/2 (LiveScore Bet) he’s a fair each-way alternative in a race reduced to four after the non-runner. Geordie Night won off 1lb higher twelve months ago and shouldn’t be ignored either at 4/1.

But the race centres on Another Day Out. Back her to win and accept the short price. She’s done it here before.

1:00 — Get Best Odds With Oddschecker Handicap Chase (2m7½f)

Selection: Cloudy Wednesday (7/4, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

Four runners, tight race, and Cloudy Wednesday makes a lot of sense at 7/4. This is a multiple chase winner with proven course form at Huntingdon, and he was second just last week over 2m4f at a comparable track on good ground in first-time blinkers. Crucially, he has already won over this trip, so the step back up in distance suits.

Slaney Opera is the market leader at 5/4, and two decent runs for Nick Scholfield on good ground keep him honest. The concern is the headgear switch, going from cheekpieces to blinkers. That’s a gamble in any race. If it fires him up, he wins. If it unsettles him, you’ve backed a 5/4 shot that’s costing you money.

Crac De Megaudais had stamina questions raised at Southwell over 3m, and while that came after a break, this good to firm ground over 2m7f is a slightly different ask. Uncle Al won off a higher mark at Sedgefield on soft, but nothing since has been encouraging.

Cloudy Wednesday is the one who ticks the boxes: course form, recent form, proven at the trip. He represents fair value at 7/4.

1:30 — Bet Smarter With Oddschecker+ Maiden Hurdle (2m)

Selection: Sword Of Wessex (11/8, Boyle Sports/LiveScore Bet)

The Jamie Snowden yard is in form, going 6/14 in the past fortnight, and Palma Springs at 5/1 is tempting. But the smarter play here is Sword Of Wessex. James Owen’s horse won odds-on over nearly 1m4f at Yarmouth last month on good ground and ran respectably at Leicester on faster ground, both runs in a visor. He switches to hurdles now and has been dropped into what the form book rightly calls a very winnable race.

Eternal Angel at 6/5 showed ability for Nicky Henderson but was comfortably held in his three runs for an Irish yard since. Tom Lacey now takes over and if he can unlock that early ability the favourite wins. The price, however, is thin for a horse who hasn’t won since his bumper days and whose recent form in handicaps reads disappointingly.

Sword Of Wessex offers better value at 11/8. Flat form translates to hurdles regularly enough at this level, the going suits, and he’s been placed in a small, weak field for good reason. Take the 11/8 with Boyle Sports or LiveScore Bet.

Palma Springs at 5/1 is worth a small saver. Snowden’s yard is firing, the tongue-tie is new, and weak maiden hurdles can throw up surprises. But she needs to step up considerably on what she’s shown.

Today’s NAP