1.00pm Wincanton Tips & Betting Preview 29/10/2017

1.00pm Wincanton tips for Sunday’s Class 4 race. Big field handicap hurdle to start the card at Wincanton, a shade under two and three quarter miles ahead of them. Read on for our free betting tips, predictions and analysis.

IN SUMMARY: CROPLEY travelled sweetly for this rider last time out over further when not getting home. This bigger field should allow him to be smuggled round in the pack and produced late. Groundunderrepair looks well treated to start his campaign. The best of his form came on softer ground but he is an each way player if the rain falls. Satellite is thrown in on his flat form if he can put it together in handicap company over hurdles while Minella Gathering (despite ideally needing further) has gone well fresh in the past.

1 GIBBES BAY – Runner-up on his handicap debut last time, still looking big and backwards. An embryonic chaser, he should do better once his attention is turned to that discipline. Softer ground to contend with here and a five pound higher mark. No better than an each way squeak.

2 FOOL TO CRY – Needs to prove her stamina at this trip, she only ran at Cheltenham on Friday when backing out of things down the hill. Very quick turnaround more than enough to pass her over on this occasion.

3 STEELY ADDITION – Shaped well on his debut for this yard at Exeter last time, still thereabouts when falling two out. The first and third in that contest both ran well at Cheltenham on Friday so the form looks solid. Needs a little more but far from discounted.

4 JENNYS DAY – Won when fresh last season before joining this yard. Shaped well from a four pound higher mark at Kempton before becoming disappointing. The surface and track should suit, one of the more interesting outsiders if fresh is the time to catch him.

5 AMRON KALI – Picked up a pair of wins in May, pushing her to a career high mark. She shaped well on her return to action at Fontwell last time, although this might be a sharp enough test for her these days.

6 LILLINGTON – Quickly returned to hurdles having not enjoyed his chasing debut last time. Has run well at this track in the past but hasn’t really shown anything to think that this longer trip is what he wants. Best form at a bare two miles so easy enough to just watch here.

7 LAUGHARNE – Placed from this mark when fresh last November, unable to back that up in the spring. Got on well with Andrew Thornton the twice they have teamed up so despite having a little to prove, isn’t completely discounted.

8 GROUNDUNDERREPAIR – Won on heavy at Lingfield in February, his form dropped off when encountering a sounder surface. Mark looks a fair one to begin the campaign so an interesting each way player if there is more rain.

9 SCRUPULEUX – Only run in France so far, he returns from a break of almost two years. Tough to know what to expect from him so can only watch on his UK debut.

10 SATELLITE – Formerly smart on the flat (rated 96) he was bitterly disappointing in his first handicap hurdle. Is fitted with a first time tongue strap now which may help, needs plenty of consideration from this mark.

11 LORD BRYAN – Best recent form came over 25.5 furlongs at Hereford on soft ground, plugging on at one pace. Pulled up twice since, he doesn’t look one to be interested in given such a different test.

12 SCOOBY – Belatedly broke his duck at Taunton in March when fitted with a hood. An eight pound rise and a better contest saw him fail to back that up the only time he has been seen since. Looks a little high in the weights to win this on his seasonal return.

13 ONE OF US – Shown a consistent level of form in limited action, looking a little one paced. Should do better this season having had another summer to strengthen up but looks more of a long term project, with staying chases where he will make his biggest impact.

14 COTSWOLD ROAD – Showed promise in smart novice hurdles in the 2015/16 season but failed to get close to that last season. Showed temperament when refusing to race at Hereford so is only for the brave here with more than enough to prove.

15 ROYAL BATALLION – Talented enough but has more than his fair share of quirks. A half brother to Classic winner Legatissimo, he has not gone close to living up to his pedigree. Conditions suit but a hard one to trust implicitly.

16 CAPSIS DESBOIS – Looked mildly progressive in novice hurdles but has pulled up both times he has run in handicaps. Yard are having a good time of things but that is a small plus in an otherwise negative looking current profile.

17 LOVE THE LEADER – Rattled up four wins in a row at this time of year in 2015, his mark still a pound higher than the best of those wins. Shown little in the way of tangible form since, the step back to this trip might be a good move however.

18 CROPLEY – Sole hurdling win came over this course and distance. Ran a solid race last time on just his second run back from an absence when not quite getting home over further at Stratford. Got on well with Jodie Hughes there, one of the more interesting ones.

19 MINELLA GATHERING – Just a pound higher than when winning at Plumpton in February. That was over further and on heavy ground, conditions that suit him ideally. This might be a little sharp for him but he has run well when fresh in the past.