3.10pm Plumpton Tips & Betting Preview 31/10/2016

Eight runners have been declared for the 2m5f handicap on Monday’s Plumpton card and it looks an interesting race for the grade. Read on for our full race preview and experts’ betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: Red Orator bids to complete a hat-trick after hitting the target twice at Fontwell in August, and he deserves plenty of credit for managing to overcome a late jumping error on the more recent occasion. However, this can go to THREEBARMYMEN, who didn’t enjoy the run of the race when third over 2m5f at Kempton in May and can display improvement over this soft of trip if this event is run at a stronger gallop. Lovely Bubbly ran poorly after a break this month but has been given a chance by the handicapper if he can put that behind him. It’s also too soon to write off Awesome Tunes, who did quite well to be beaten only by about 17l when fourth on his chase/handicap debut, given he jumped poorly.

1 Threebarmymen – Close second on handicap debut at Kempton (2m, good) in April and would probably have preferred a much stronger pace when staying-on third over 2m5f there the following month; still has untapped potential over this sort of trip and is a major player if fully revved up after 168-day break.

2 Red Orator – Former useful Flat-racer; certainly not an instant success over hurdles but struck form and won two Fontwell handicaps (2m3f/2m1f) in August; looked beaten after bad blunder at penultimate flight on more recent occasion but his strong finish to lead close home offers significant hope he can overcome today’s 3lb higher mark.

3 Guards Chapel – Rallied past some beaten rivals to take third at Fontwell (2m3f, good) on latest hurdle start in June and returned from break with respectable Flat run this month, but seems to have become very one-paced and his chance probably depends on this developing into a thorough stamina test.

4 Druids Lodge – Joined Neil Mulholland after reaching the frame in two bumpers last season and positives can be drawn from both his 2m4f hurdle runs this summer; doesn’t look obviously well treated off opening handicap mark of 104 but is open to improvement if first-time cheekpieces have positive effect.

5 Lovely Bubbly – Third in a 2m maiden hurdle here in April and arguably ran slightly better than 14l defeat might suggest when fourth on subsequent handicap debut at Market Rasen (2m, good); disappointed when back in action this month but quickly been dropped 8lb from his initial mark and not out of this if the longer trip suits.

6 Awesome Tunes – Winning Irish pointer who made jumping errors and had to settle for fourth when favourite for this month’s chase/handicap debut at Kelso, and was recently an early faller back over hurdles at Newton Abbot; now has a point to prove, but remains unexposed.

7 Snippetydoodah – May have been aided by fitting of first-time tongue-tie when opening account at Fontwell (2m5f, heavy) in April, his second handicap; also ran well when fourth on good ground over that C&D a fortnight later but has combination of rise in class and six-month absence to overcome today.

8 Mount Vesuvius – Scored at Newton Abbot (2m, good) in August and has been placed three times since then (2m-2m1f), but is yet fully to convince stamina-wise over this sort of trip and needs to bounce back from a disappointing chase run last month; others make more appeal in a competitive race for the grade.

myracing Forecast Prices: 7/4 Red Orator, 11/2 Threebarmymen, 7/1 Guards Chapel, Snippetydoodah, 8/1 Druids Lodge, Mount Vesuvius, 10/1 Lovely Bubbly, Awesome Tunes