3:43 Sedgefield Tips

Hard to find one to take on the likely favourite here. This one won last time out in a better-than-today Class 4 over a further trip than today: 2m 7f 280yds, so he handles today's trip against some rivals who may lack stamina. The rating nudges up a manageable two points to 103 from 101 but drops down to Class 5. He could have the race set up for him, as he’s usually held up and there are a few front-runners in the field.

This Mahler gelding gets the assistance of Danny McMenamin, which can be viewed as a plus. He won at this track in November and has a fair shout here.

Despite achieving four career victories and frequently placing, he has faced challenges in securing wins lately. He has often been a strong contender, typically finishing fourth in handicaps. With a 2 lb reduction and first-time cheekpieces applied, he presents solid each-way prospects at reasonable odds.

Top weight who is trained by Jenny Candlish and has Lewis Stones in the saddle. The trainer has a decent strike rate at this course, and the jockey does well riding for the yard. He has an 18% strike rate. Winner last time out at this track, and has two course wins from four runs. Has won from a higher official handicap mark and should go close.

Benefit Ben looks to have a good chance of at least a place in this handicap hurdle. He has won two of his five races this season and still looks competitively weighted.

A good second at Lingfield over two miles two weeks ago on heavy ground. Runs off the same mark here, but a claimer takes off 3 lb. A step up in trip should suit. Worth chancing each way with four places on offer.

Alidam ran on from a fair way back to take third last time over 2m on soft, and the extra distance can only work to his strengths today. Two good runs in France before joining this yard saw him finish second and third from three starts on soft ground over 2m2f, keeping on both times. This will be the fourth run for this yard since joining, and he's 10 lb below his opening mark. He wore a hood in France, and cheekpieces go on for the first time today.

Tread Softly Now has proved progressive this season, and she shouldn't be judged harshly on her latest fourth over an inadequate 2m at Ayr last time out. She was previously collared by a subsequent winner at Kelso and is effectively only 1 lb here if taking claims into account. My only concern is not running well here before, but the seven-year-old was said to have lost her action, so I'm willing to write that run off.

Ex-Irish My Boy Christy was well beaten in his first two runs at treble-figure prices. When returning from an eight-month layoff, he was backed into 4th favourite and ran a much improved race to finish 4th. He reappeared two weeks later making his handicap debut but bombed out; the quick return could have been the reason. This is his first start here for a new yard and he could be anything. If he repeats his Irish 4th-place finish, I could see him in the mix.

We're going to know our fate very quickly with this one, since it's all about how the horse is ridden. It's clear as day that she needs to race prominently but has been held up in recent races. The only time she wasn't, she wasn't beaten out of sight. Hopefully the new jockey has done his homework. It's also the course at which he has ridden the most winners in his career. The other positive is that the horse won on her only other try over C&D (as recently as 13 months ago), and that was off an 18 lb higher mark. That was on similarly soft ground when racing prominently, so hopefully those tactics will be used again.

He is a five-time winner who was well beaten on his reappearance at Catterick last month. However, the selection has won second time up, and he can run 3 lb below his last winning mark today. Furthermore, Nathan Moscrop is back on top, and he won on this horse twice last year. He has won on good, good-to-soft, and soft ground previously, so he looks to be a decent each-way chance today.