1.50pm Ffos Las Tips & Betting Preview 21/12/2016

This should be run at a good gallop and thirteen horses take their place for this Class 4 novices‘ hurdle over 1m7f today. Read on for our expert’s thoughts and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: Robinshill will be popular with his promising young rider taking off 10lb, negating his triple penalty back amongst the novices’ today. He will no doubt go well if he handles the ground along with Oxwich Bay, who justified good support in the market to win last time out. They will likely be short in the betting and it could develop into a match between the two, but at a bigger price it is worth taking a chance on MARTABOT, who despite appearing his stable’s second string, has good form in France from two years ago and his yard can ready one after a break. He could be dangerous to ignore here and can spoil the party for the market principals.

1 Robinshill – Has won three times this year on better ground up top 2m, including back to back wins this Autumn at Wetherby and Huntingdon in better company. Struggled kept to a Class 2 on his last start and is now 29lb higher than his first win in June. Promising conditional Tom Humphries takes off a chunk of that with his 10lb allowance and he should run well dropped into novice company. Ground a slight worry but has finished runner up at Haydock (Heavy) before. Claims.

2 Aaryam – Gelding by Dylan Thomas but hasn’t offered much in a couple of bumpers/hurdles starts so far for one with such an illustrious pedigree. Only mid-division over C&D latest and can be ruled out until he drops down a grade.

3 Braw Angus – Only two starts so far over hurdles and well beaten in last at Leicester (Good) twenty days ago. Has to prove he handles the going and hard to fancy in this.

4 Buttersbridge – Only contested in points in 2013 with a third placed finish his best offering. Fell on his final start and looks pitched in for his return to the track after such a long absence.

5 Elav – Another horse who has only competed in points so far and placed only once from seven starts. Only seventh of 9 in April and should be a big price for his rules debut.

6 Fifty Bob – Finished second on his first run in an Irish maiden point last year but tailed off in fifteenth of 16 for his debut under rules at Huntingdon (Good/Soft) seventeen days ago. Hard to see him getting into this.

7 Gask Ridge – Made two starts in Irish points and fell in both. His bumper debut was much more promising when third of 11 at Market Rasen (Good) in July. Struggled to land a blow when he only had one behind on hurdles debut nine days ago on heavy ground and easy to rule out for now. Booking of Davy Russell a plus however.

8 Majingilane – Winged Love gelding who cost connections £35,000 as a 3-y-o. Related to plenty of winners, including decent hurdler/chasers Firebird Flyer and Spookydooky so good pedigree for this discipline. This is easier than the 2m race he contested at Newbury (Good/Soft) on his hurdling debut when unseating at the second flight and improvement expected but probably a bit much to ask him to win this and best watched for now until his kinks are ironed out.

9 Martabot – Showed improved form when trained in France in 2014 in two runs after falling on debut. Off the track since and trainer often does well with horses coming back from an absence. Interesting pedigree and related to some winners. Interesting to see how the market interprets his chances with his yard also running Stay Out Of Court. Player.

10 Oxwich Bay – Well beaten on his bumper debut at Newbury (Soft) when only ninth of 14 (behind a couple of subsequent winners), and sent off 66/1. Improved immensely to take a minor bumper over 2m at Sedgefield (Soft) by 2 ¾ lengths last month. A likeable sort, he should prove competitive from just 7lb higher in his bid to follow up over hurdles.

11 Pop Rockstar – Hasn’t really shown much in three starts so far, two over hurdles, and only fifth of 14 in a similar event at Plumpton (Good/Soft) when 66/1 nine days ago. Best watched for now unless the market speaks in his favour.

12 Stay Out Of Court – Cost connections £42,000 recently and is a half-brother to fair chaser Zest For Life. Ran in a couple of Irish points and finished second on both occasions whilst his debut third in a bumper at Worcester (Good/Soft) in June left room for improvement. Yard also run Martabot and whilst Tom Scudamore takes the ride here, that one looks slightly more tempting judged on his French form.

13 Clown In The Moon – Related to a winning pointer of minor events and pulled up on his only start in that sphere. Hard to fancy here.