7.05pm Sedgefield Tips & Betting Preview 19/04/2016

IN SUMMARY: Burtons Well looked a very good prospect in novice company last season and is very much of interest on his belated handicap debut but preference is for HERONS HEIR (9/4), who was only headed in the dying strides after looking the likely winner at Ludlow recently and is open to further progress. Brave Spartacus is a very talented chaser who lurks on a dangerous mark over hurdles, but he’ll need to better his recent efforts in this sphere. Teo Vivo has been in good form this year and is expected to be on the premises.

1 Burtons Well – Absent since beaten at very short odds in small-field novice event at Carlisle in March 2015 but had shown considerable promise on first two starts, winning readily at Newton Abbot (2m2f, soft) before looking very unlucky when a faller at Southwell (2m, soft); interesting contender on handicap debut.

2 Teo Vivo – Been in good form this year and posted new career-best performance when scoring at Musselburgh (2m, soft) in February; subsequent rise in the weights might leave him vulnerable but he gave a decent account in a valuable event at Haydock (2m, good) last month and probably won’t be far away.

3 Venue – Showed some very useful form during four-race Flat career in 2013 and won two novice hurdles last year, the first over C&D, but has found things much tougher in two handicaps since returning from a break and comes here with a point to prove.

4 Brave Spartacus – Excellent fourth in Grade 2 Old Roan Chase at Aintree (2m4f, good) in October but is much less effective over hurdles; bounced back from two disappointing efforts when third in small-field event at Newcastle (2m, soft) recently but still needs to build on that performance.

5 Herons Heir – Came good over hurdles when fitted with tongue-tie for handicap debut at Market Rasen (2m, soft) in January; flopped on next outing but quickly got back on track when clear second at Ludlow (2m, good to soft) a fortnight ago and could easily have more in the locker.

6 McVicar – Won two juvenile hurdles for Alan King in October 2012; hasn’t tasted victory since then but was placed in refitted cheekpieces at Newcastle (2m, heavy) last month and also ran well on Fibresand a couple of weeks later; will be fine on today’s ground and not ruled out.

7 It’s A Mans World – 12 career victories, but the latest (in March 2015) came in plating company and he’s been well below best form over hurdles and on the Flat this year; cheekpieces given another whirl today; may no longer be up to winning races this competitive.

8 Our Kylie – Delivered on promise shown for Tony Coyle when clearcut winner on stable debut at Carlisle (2m1f, good) last month; might have more to offer for Brian Ellison but is effectively 13lb higher from out of the handicap in this much stronger race and the slower ground is probably not ideal.

myracing Forecast Prices: 9/4 Herons Heir, 9/2 Burtons Well, Teo Vivo, 6/1 Brace Spartacus, 7/1 Our Kylie, 10/1 McVicar, 14/1 Venue, 16/1 It’s A Mans World